Lost
by Senyor Fier Mensheir
Summary: During the 3 year training trip Naruto gets separated from Jiraiya. Will he get to see his sensei and Konoha again? Only time will tell. OOCs and OCs abound, as well as powerfulNaruto. you have been warned. AU. !Unfortunately on Hiatus...nigh inefinitely!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 1**

It had been two months since they were last together; both master and apprentice had been forced to part ways due to circumstances beyond their control. A new lead had been found about the whereabouts and plans of the group that the apprentice was training to defend himself from.

The pair had parted ways in a port town on the northern coast of the Land of Lightning. While there the master was sitting in a bar meeting with one of his many contacts, gathering information, the apprentice meanwhile was sleeping in their shared hotel room, having been exhausted from training done throughout the day.

The next day found the apprentice alone in the room with a note and a scroll, the note revealing that his master had left him to go follow a lead that had been unearthed, but that he had left some scrolls within the scroll for the apprentice to amuse himself with while he was gone. They would then meet up a month later at another port town in the south-east part of the Land of Lightning.

So the apprentice followed his master's orders and went off to train on his own. By the time master and apprentice were supposed to meet, the apprentice found himself in quite the predicament.

He was in the right port town, just at the wrong, or rather worst time, the streets were filled with fighting. Apparently some pirates, and bandits had teamed up to try their hand at taking a town for themselves, it just so happened that the locals were not so easily convinced to give up their town to those outlaws. After quickly deducing friend from foe, the young apprentice joined the fray.

He was in the part of town that the outlaws outnumbered the locals, five to one. Good odds for the outlaws, bad for the locals.

There was a man by a wall that was about to get impaled. Before the finishing blow could connect his attacker was knocked to the side by a powerful head butt, followed up by a quick kick in the noggin.

The man by the wall looked up to see a pair of twins, with twin grins, grinning down at him before they summarily jumped away to fight another of the outlaws.

At the exact same time, at another part of the scene, five bandits had severely wounded three of the local defenders, not enough to kill them yet, but enough to incapacitate them. These five met maker when each were kicked in their groins up into the air and impaled with five elbows on the way down.

At yet another part of the battlefield more of the bandits and pirates were found trading blows with the locals, the more peaceful of the two sides being the ones on the losing side. But just like their comrades they too were saved by multiple figures.

Before the figures were able to aid the injured men, a bloodied man came running onto the scene screaming about monsters on the docks.

The figures collectively went forth towards the docks to see if they could help out.

* * *

Once they arrived the level of brutality that was witnessed was far greater than that of the battlefield they had just come from.

Bodies of local defenders were littered on the ground, the water below and beyond the docks were crimson, with the stench of death filled the air.

Men were still fighting on the decks of anchored sea vessels, men were still fighting on the docks, and men were even fighting in the water. But what they were fighting were not men. At least they didn't look like men.

They were grotesque creatures, each distinctly unique. But amongst them were monsters far greater than these mere peons.

On one end of the docks there were men being killed left and right, their limbs being torn off by gale force winds being conjured up from the mad swinging sword held by a man wearing only brown pants, his chest bare riddles with scars, his head covered in what might have once been a white bandanna. Men continued rushing at this monster of a man attempting and failing to send him back to hell where he belonged, only to be cut down, a sinister grin never leaving the monster's face.

At another part of the docks a man dressed in a bloodied grey vest and green cargo pants was banging heads with the men attacking him, he was breaking bones with his bare hands left, right, and center, he was kicking holes through the bodies of the port defenders.

The port town, more like a city in its size, originally having more than five thousand able bodied men to defend her, was now left with a fifth of that number, plus one assassin in training.

Fighting on the deck of one of the bigger vessels was a man covered from head to toe in bandages, resembling a mummy, but wearing a black long sleeved shirt, black pants, boots, and coat. With one hand he punched holes into the men he was fighting, while the other burned men with bright green flames emanating from the mentioned appendage, a concentrated mass being in the palm of his hand. So far of the three he was the most merciful. Instantly killing his enemies, while the other two getting in two or three more blows before the finishing one.

The figures that came from another part of town spread out to aid in stopping the monstrosities, with the exception of their leader who was left to deal with the lasts of the greater threats.

This monster of a man was roughly seven feet tall, clothed from head to toe in a dark red cloak. Not a splotch of blood could be seen on his garb, not a tear, or a slit. He looked as if he had yet to join the battle, the only part of him betraying his role in the battle was that he was in the middle of all the corpses, gloved right hand was gripping a long sword with a red pattern on it resembling blood flowing down its edge.

He stood still seemingly staring at the new arrival, as if waiting to be attacked in revenge for the fallen.

His opponent did not disappoint, but unlike his other foes this one was fast, not as fast as he, but faster than his previous victims.

After a short while the clothes of the apprentice, whose master had yet to arrive, were torn to pieces, the cloak that hid his features was no more, his shirt and pants were ripped, torn, burnt, and in short ready to fall of. The apprentice was now sporting several wounds that normally would be healing at that moment, but they were not. He was bleeding in places he never knew he could bleed, some of the blood coming out of places that weren't even visibly hurt.

During the brief fight he had pushed his body way past his limits, adrenaline and his previously unmatched stamina finally leaving him only after a few short minutes.

Tightly gripping the blade that kept his adversary from killing him was cracked in so many places that it should have shattered by now.

The red clad man looked upon his foe with glee, joy rolling off him in waves. He raised his sword into the air, and was about to deliver the finishing blow, but something stopped him in his tracks.

In a desperate move, the young apprentice dived into the depths of his being and forced a power that he was cursed with out. A visible wave of energy blasted its way outwards, forcing nearby objects to go flying back. The wounds suffered from the battle hissed closed. The dry and drying blood evaporated from the heat coming from the energy which quickly enveloped the young apprentice. A tower of crimson power could be seen towering over and around him. After a momentary pause in which the aura vanished, it quickly returned with a force so great that the land he was standing on gave way and became a crater, in which both source of power and red clad man were the only things standing in. The aura then quickly assumed a vulpine form around its host, forming not one, but three tails.

Throughout all this the red clad man stood watching with anticipation of the possibilities this new development would grant, a great challenge, a new toy, and a test of power.

The other monsters on the battlefield did not bother to take note of the proceedings and just continued with what they were doing, most of which had moved further into the city to wreak havoc and or take control of more of the city. The only able bodied defenders remaining alive being the ones that either escaped or those that were aided by the young apprentice. The only real opposition was the one young man or monster fighting the red clad man.

Before the young man turned monster could make another move, his opponent moved, but he did not attack, rather he let loose his own power. A power similar to the previously released one was felt, the shockwaves just as if not even more powerful. But instead of forming a vulpine like shroud, it melted into the red clothing of the man, giving them an ethereal glow.

After a full minute of nothing happening, both combatants rushed one another, neither thinking clearly, just having one thought in mind, destroy.

They met each other blow for blow, each sending out shockwaves that could be felt all over the city-sized port town. Each kick, each punch soundly connecting with each other, blades tossed aside lay forgotten. Their powers burning everything they touched but each other.

* * *

In another part of the place, a figure was walking through the streets dispatching pirates, and bandits left and right, not a care in the world for the lives he was taking, in the shadow of the world where the spirits could be seen, the warriors tasked with taking souls into the beyond were cowering in fear at the one passing by them, the figure even though was paying them no mind still managed to send them fearing for their semi-immortal lives.

The figure was wearing a black trench coat, underneath was a black long sleeved shirt, he was also wearing black pants, boots, a pair of sunglasses, and black gloves. His long black hair was tied in a lose pony-tail. His eyes were the color opposite of the famed Hyuuga Byakugan; these eyes were just two black orbs. He was around six feet three inches tall. In his right hand was a sword hilt, beyond the cross guard was a blade of wind, visible to the eye, it was like a storm in progress, lightning cascading up and down the blade. While in his left hand was a sake cup, which he took a sip from after each kill.

After walking for some time he came upon the mummy-man who was killing on the deck of the ship.

The mummy-man, after seeing the sake sipping figure, called out to him.

"Ha ha! I see you finally found me! Have you come to take me back?" he asked.

"No," a short pause, "I've come to end you," was the reply.

"Tch, like you could lay a figure on me, I've been up here long enough to kill you!"

"I doubt a few decades could have made you strong enough to beat me."

"The student is meant to beat the teacher. So teacher, prepare to DIE!"

With that, the mummy-mad rushed the figure he called teacher. But instead of hitting the figure he hit the floor. His bandages caught fire as he fell, his arms and head falling in different places from his body.

"One down, three to go," the figure said walking away from the corpse, and leaving even more in his wake.

* * *

Back at the docks the fight between the two crimson clad individuals continued, but instead of slowing down it was speeding up, instead of one or both getting weaker it appeared as if they were getting stronger. More power was coming out of each of the two combatants. One of whom sported five tails, while the other's clothes were glowing brighter than before. Their crimson cloaks were growing more and more visible as day turned to night. And day did indeed turn into night. Neither knew or cared when the sun had set or when the moon had risen, all they cared for was the destruction of their foe. The wind around them was blowing in every direction, swirling and howling, the clouds were violently gathering together forming the heart of a storm. Then water began to pour from the heavens, lightning struck, and thunder clapped. But the two foes paid no mind to it all.

The docks were all but non-existent, the boat sunk, warehouses around burning or collapsing. The battlefield was ground zero of a battle of monstrous proportions, as if two behemoths of power had been struggling for dominance for the past few hours.

After battling at close range, as if in sync with one another's thoughts both enemies jumped away from each other, then springing into action releasing dragons of frost, of flame, of mud, of lightning, of wood, of wind, of anything that could be, each dragon battling another for dominance. The dragons were not the regular kind seen in most battles, these ones not only had teeth to bite with, but claws to grapple and scratch with, they were solidly made out of the element that birthed them. Amid this clash of mystical titans, the two enemies stood fierce glares marring their now exposed faces.

Sometime during their close ranged combat that which concealed the red clad man's face fell or was blown of with the intensity of the battle.

Four sets of eyes met, death glares blasting at maximum intensity. Blue met red, and red met blue.

"So, you are he," the red clad man states after a few seconds pass.

"…"

"Oh, you don't know?"

"…"

"I have wanting to kill you for ever since I was granted this power."

"…"

"This power of mine is equal to yours! If not, greater!"

"…" His glare intensifying at the insult to his strength.

"I am the new, you are the old."

"…"

"My power rivals yours. Give it up! Accept your fate!"

"I will not."

"Then die!"

After these words were said, both foes rushed each other to renew their own battle amidst that of their dragons.

Blue and red eyes explode with even more power, five become eight, with bringing forth one palm, in the middle of which a swirling ball of crimson forms.

Red and blue eyes too explode with more power, the glow of his clothing glowing as bright as the sun, hand stretched out, a blood red spike jutting out from his wrist.

Both men scream and roar for all the worlds to hear their attacks.

"**RASENGAN!**"

"**AKASENTAN!**"

The visible ball of energy and the wrist blade slam into one another exploding; a split second later another sphere of crimson is formed in one fighter's free hand, and with it rams it into his opponent's abdomen. His foe stands his ground utilizing his power, due to this battle of opposing forces another explosion occurs, sending both fighters back, with only ten feet separating them.

Each panting, tired, their power not even dented, but their bodies losing to the strain placed on them by the powers.

A few seconds of much needed rest, both combatants stood straight, their aura suddenly vanish, but a new weight permeates the air, their power output has skyrocketed even further than before. The area is now thick with it. A spark could set the place on fire. In each of their eyes was a spark.

A second later both acted, sprinting towards their weapons, cracked and near destruction; both weapons find themselves in the hands of their masters. With a quick spin on their heels the two warriors rushed once more towards each other.

* * *

As the two figures near one another, another figure meets the second monster of a man. He sits a top a pyramid of corpses of men, women, children, and even animals. He sits upon a throne of lifelessness. He swings his sword one last time before seeing the walking figure.

"So, teacher," he begins, "You've come at last. Took you long enough to find us."

"It would have taken much longer had your fourth comrade not flared his gifted strength."

"Bah, it doesn't matter. You are here. Here to die by my hand. Aha Ha Ha Ha!"

He jumps down off his throne to face his teacher.

"Bloodthirsty to the bone, you did say your dream was to sit upon a throne of corpses."

"Indeed I did, teacher, indeed I did."

"And so now, you wish to add my corpse to the pile?"

"Yes."

The figure in black suddenly appeared behind his student saying, "I think not." And watched as the student shows how much he loved blood, by showering the street with his own.

So the figure continued his trek towards his third student, leaving even more corpses in his wake.

* * *

The docks were no more, the area in which the two fighters had fought was no more, in their last attack they placed all the power that they could muster into their blades.

The docks were incinerated in the explosion of power that was created when blade met blade, a second later, both bodies fell to the sand unmoving.

The ground was reduced to sand, and the water that would have been there had evaporated. Another power had shielded the port town from the blast that had evaporated the water for up to half a mile from the docks outwards.

The last monster of a man standing did not bother to exchange words with the figure decked in black. Once he spotted him, he just attacked with all the speed and power he could muster, he didn't bother with any of the fancy things that he had learned under the man's tutelage, he did first thing he could think of, punch. The punch connected, but at a cost, the cost was his life.

Upon impact pain, unimaginable pain shot up his arm to the rest of body, every bone in his body shattering to pieces, like glass. He screamed.

The black clad figure pointed his blade at the screaming man's skull, and thrust it downwards, while saying, "Shut up." Then moved on.

As he reached where the water's edge would have been he spotted two figure lying on the ground, unmoving. Out of curiosity he moved closer.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the red one was the one he that gave him the location of where the four of them were. As he touched the body seeing if there was a pulse, he found none.

"He's dead," he said, "Interesting."

Looking at the second body, he noticed the slow, rise and fall of the chest.

'_So this one killed him. Hmm…_' he thought to himself.

He then noticed a seal pattern on the person's abdomen. '_A seal…_'

Upon further inspection of the seal, he realized what it contained. '_So that is where you've been hiding...had I known I would have come to you sooner_.'

He then brought out a scroll, from seemingly, out of thin air, unrolled it and then placed the still living body on the scroll.

"Fuuin," he said. And the living body was sealed away to preserve it, and its life. He then noticed the two blades, both had been shattered, finally both could no longer take the strain. He picked up the pieces and stored them too in the scroll. Looking around and noting nothing more of interest, he rolled up the scroll, then it vanished as if it were never there.

He walked through the town until he reached the town square, where all the remaining people had gathered, tending to the injured.

The locals wearily looked at him, until he stopped in the middle of them all. He scanned the people, he saw many injured, Out of the thousands that had once lived in the town only a handful survived, there were some men who were out of place, but they did not matter. One of whom had long white hair, and wore geta sandals, with a big scroll on his back.

'_That one is an odd one_.' he thought.

Then with a wave of his hand he summoned the bodies of the four that at one point in time called him teacher, master, sensei. The four bodies appeared before him lying down, as if nothing had happened to them, as if they were sleeping. With another wave of his hand the monstrosities, pirates, bandits, and rogues that were part of the attack were banished, the only traces of their being there were the blood stains and the loss of life among the populace.

The people stared at what he had done. Not even the famed ninjas could do what he had done as far as they were concerned.

Before anyone could do anything, spoke, "You have fought well. I am sorry about the lives that were lost. But you who have survived, continue to live, do not mourn them, for they have gone on to happier place. Do not let their sacrifices be in vain, live. Yes, do not forget to live. I arrived when the tide of the battle was turned by one young man. Some of you must have noticed him. He fought the four leaders and won. But due to his injuries I have taken the liberty of sending him to a place where he can rest. And maybe someday return to you. His name I know not. He wore no symbol. But I will tell you this. He was, and is a hero."

He then turned to the direction of one of the gates of the town, but before he took one step, someone decided to speak up.

"Thank you, and could you thank him for us as well?" a man with his arm in a sling asked.

"It would be my pleasure." The figure said before he walked off, and then out of the town.

A citizen who followed him out the gate could not see hide or hair of him. He had vanished without a trace.

* * *

Back with the citizens, one of the men, the young man had helped earlier recalled what little he remembered of his savior.

"There was two of him, he had this foxy grin. Most of him was covered in this cloak he even had a hood on. I think I saw a lock of hair poking out, blond I believe."

Another man, told of what he remembered, "As I saw one of him kick up one of the bandits, part of his hood slipped, he had blue eyes."

Another man told what he recalled, "He grinned at me reassuringly that everything would be ok before rushing to the docks, he had these three birthmarks on each cheek. He he."

Somehow those that were hidden who saw the true events of the attack could not remember what they had seen. The words spoken by the man in black to them were the truth, as their memory could not prove otherwise.

The people collectively agreed that they would rebuild and live on in their town, in memory of the sacrifice of many of theirs, and of the bravery of their one blond, blue eyed, whiskered hero.

* * *

The black clad figure appeared in the middle of a room with a spiral pattern depicting the different elements on the floor. He exited the room and walked until he reached what appeared to be an infirmary, on one of the beds inside there was a scroll, he unrolled it and unsealed the body that lay within.

Stripping his patient off what little he was wearing he place in under the covers of the bed. He snapped his fingers and all sorts of medical equipment were scattered around his bed, tubes and the like were attached to the young man on the bed.

Pulling down the blanket exposing the visible seal, the black clad man thrust one hand into the center of the seal, and as quickly as it went in it came out holding onto a small fox with nine bushy tails.

The small fox was unconscious and he continued to carry the small thing even as he left the infirmary. He kept on walking until he reached his destination.

It was a room, another white room, this one seemingly having no walls, no ceiling, and no door the portal in which he entered from was just not there.

With one hand he flung the fox up into the air, which promptly landed on its head, hard.

"**WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?! THAT HURT LIKE A BITCH! WHY THE HELL IS MY VOICE ALL SQUEEKY??"** panic had set in, **"WHY…"**

He was interrupted by the creepiest and most sadistic pair of eyes it had ever set its eyes on, and with a voice to match.

"Hello young one. So that was where you were hiding all this time. Its been years since I we last saw each other. I distinctly remember telling you to come home."

"**Ah, well, you see…"**

"I am in no mood for your excuses. Now tell me the real reason behind your not doing as you are told."

"**Well, uhm… I got lost..?"**

"Not good enough."

"**I got side tracked..?"**

"Nope. Wrong answer."

"**Uh, I…uh…well, there was this human, who uh…you know…err…"**

The smile that was on the man's face was the creepiest thing the fox had ever seen in its millennia of existence.

"**Eep! I couldn't help myself! Okay! I'm not an emotionless piece of fur ya know! I got feelings, emotions, and urges! I was young! I was lonely! I let myself go! Ya happy now! Huh? Huh? HUH?"**

The man frowned at such a display of disrespect. He pointed a finger at the little fox. The fox subsequently followed the finger's movement. The man sharply pointed his finger to the right, and the body of the fox followed. The fox was flung at blindingly fast speeds in one direction. Until he appeared from the man's left, then zoomed even faster towards the right yet again.

"**PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEE STOOOOOOOOOOOP"**

After a few more minutes of zooming from one end of infinity to the other the fox halted its zooming in front of the now smirking man.

"Learned your lesson?"

"**Yes! Next time, I'll leave you a note!"**

"Have it your way…"

"**Oh shIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"**

After a few more minutes of zooming.

"And now?"

"**Yes! Yes! For the love of all that is unholy! No more please! I might lose a tail after another round the world."**

"So…What have you learned?"

"**To follow your instructions."**

"And..?"

"**To personally tell you if I plan on doing something stupid…again…"**

"Good. You are free to roam around home, until our guest wakes up."

The fox looks at the man, then asks, **"Who?"**

The man answers, "Why, your former prison of course." Then he vanishes from the room, to go wherever it is he, the man, needs to be. Out into the world seeking his wayward creations.

* * *

Meanwhile the fox, after finally finding one of the many exits from the room, decided to walk around the place, not having seen it for more than ten thousand years.

As he reached the roof and gazed on out, he noticed that not much has changed from the place of his birth.

He was standing on the roof of a fortress that was perched on the top of a mountain, around the mountain was a dense jungle, not a forest a jungle, complete with beasts, and swamps, and marshes, and the like. Beyond, and going around this jungle was a desert, a desert with not a single oasis, just sand, sand and more sand, along with monsters living in it, beneath the dunes. Beyond the desert was a thick forest, with trees whose tops were just a few hundred feet below the clouds. And beyond and around this forest was a cliff with a sheer drop, it went straight down into, if one were to fall all the way down they would reach a body of water, black water, and if one were to be able to swim downwards, into the deeper and darker depths, one would eventually come surface into a void, a space of black, a space of seemingly nothing.

Back to what could be seen on the surface, the cliff is covered by a dense fog which never touched the forest, it never went beyond the cliff. If one were able to fly through the fog, one would eventually find themselves, in the sky above the clouds. But diving below the clouds one would see the world.

The foot of the mountain up until the beginning of the fog could be seen from up on the roof.

Once the fox was had assured itself that home was still home, it left the roof in search of the infirmary. Once there, it entered, and hopped onto a seat beside the bed of his former prison, and promptly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 2**

Arriving at the port town at the designated time was very problematic for the legendary master, especially when he had to fight his way into it.

After hearing of the pirate-bandit team up, some rogue ninjas decided to get in on the action, they would stop any outside help from getting into the town and helping. These rogues were from the country which they had deserted so long or not so long ago. Most of which were semi-masters in their own right of the element of lightning.

Passing Kumo-nins attracted by the sounds of battle, the smell of blood, and the sight of smoke rushed to the scene engaging their former comrades in battle. At the same time Jiraiya too joined in the fray.

Kumo-nin versus Kumo-nuke-nin, Gama-sennin versus kumo-nuke-nin. The Kumo-nin and the Sennin were out numbered six to one.

The Kumo-nins flew into action engaging six opponents each, throwing out balls of lightning, spears, clones, weapons laced with it, and a bunch of other things, their counterparts letting loose a barrage of weapons and techniques of their own.

The Sennin didn't both with his toads, he just entered the fray, quickly spewing a swamp to trap his foes. The swamp was mixed with some oil, so following the swamp he blew out fireball after fireball ranging in size from big to small. His first six opponents were to slow to act or react. Although their classes ranged from D to A, they were no match for someone who has the power, ability and experience in leveling villages, especially if the fight started as quickly and suddenly as it did.

The Kumo-nins weren't faring any better than their nuke-nin counter parts. Of the original fifteen that had come to help, only seven remained, but through the sacrifice of their brethren they were able to lower the ratio from six to one, to merely two to one, better odds for the Kumo-nins.

But even if the odds were better, they were still losing, they were no longer at maximum capacity, they were battered, bruised, bleeding, and tired. Another round with the rogues would surely end their lives.

Before the fourteen finishing blows could land on their targets, a wall of mud stopped the attacks from landing.

The startled nuke-nin had forgotten their other foe, Jiraiya. Acting quickly the fourteen sprang into action, were like a cohesive unit, half concentrated on defending, while the other half concentrated on attacking. The sennin, noticing this, fired off fire dragons and wind bullets in the direction of the rogues, the rogues dodged the attacks, but were unable to completely avoid the attacks.

They retaliated by attacked of their own, Lightning dragons arched through the air scorching the earth, rocks and trees in the area, but missing the sennin. One of the nuke-nin decided to rush the toad hermit sparks visible on his fist, his attack connecting with a log. Due to the force of his punch and his momentum he was unable to dodge the sennin's counter attack, a swift kick to the torso, which promptly knocked out the nuke-nin.

'_One down, thirteen to go_' thought the sennin.

After dodging several projectiles, the sennin sent several earth spikes at the nuke-nins that were focusing on defense.

Jumping out of the way, the nuke-nins created water walls to stop the sennin's attacks before they could hit, but one nin was too slow and was down for the count.

Four of the rogues jumped high into the air and formed a net of lightning chakra as they dropped down around the sennin.

Realizing what the rogues were attempting to do the sennin substituted himself with one of the other remaining nuke-nin. After switching places he swiftly knocked out another two nuke-nins with a split kick to their guts.

Dusk was nearly upon the battling nins, and the port town looked like it needed more help, more screams and shouts could be heard from beyond the wall around the town.

Since he needed to take out the trash faster he quickly, summoned some toads, now that his opponents were slower than when the battle began, he could afford to let them rest and regroup for a few seconds.

But at the arrival of some battle toads the nuke-nin stood no chance, all of them dropping like flies one after the other.

The battle against the nuke-nin had been won, but at the cost of the lives of eight kumo-nins, a loss that was felt by the remaining seven.

Picking themselves off the floor they readied themselves to enter the town, and do battle with the forces that lay within.

But before they started moving, the sennin spoke to them.

"You guys rest, I'll go on ahead."

"B-but, we c-can s-still f-fight." One of the survivors managed to stutter out.

"You're too tired to even talk straight, much more fight. I'll deal with this."

One of the survivors took a step forward then collapsed from exhaustion.

"See," the sennin said, while motioning at the fallen man, "Just rest up. Take out any that try to leave."

"F-fine. We'll rest." Another man answered for the rest. He promptly plopped down on the ground, the others falling on their ass.

The sennin moved onwards and inwards into the town, worrying for the safety of his student that he knew was inside, and for the people that were still battling within the walls.

* * *

A few minutes of hopping on the roof tops the sennin saw some monsters devouring the remains of some of the fallen locals, and some of the still living ones.

Jumping down to rid the world of these evils he took note of their appearances. There were three of them, three hulking masses of muscle, blood, and bone. They were about seven to eight feet tall, with scars and stitches crisscrossing their bodies. They had metal objects, ranging from steel pipes to swords and spears, impaled in their bodies, but they didn't seem to pay them any mind.

One of the monsters turned around and saw him. Its face did not sport anything other than a mouth, a mouth filled with bloody teeth that could give a shark a run for its money. The sennin then noticed that its hands were clawed, and that it was running straight for him, its purplish skin glistening in the moonlight.

Trying to jump over the rushing behemoth, a clawed hand found its way through his leg, tearing through muscle and tendons, luckily not breaking the bone.

Landing in a crouch ignoring the pain brought on by the surprise attack, he realized with horror, that even with their size these things were fast.

The second of the monsters joined in on the attack, rushed Jiraiya with a clawed hand held high in an attempt to take out the crouching sennin with a downward slash.

Rolling to the side the sennin avoided certain doom, then rushing through a seal sequence he pushed the second monster away from him, his hands in a pushing motion, he utilized a technique that manipulated the wind. The monster slammed hard into a nearby building.

The third monster seeing its ally being blown back started throwing corpses at the injured sennin. One of which hit its mark and sent the sennin flying into his own building, in the process shattering his right shoulder blade.

Injured as he was, he picked himself out of the ruined building wall and a defensive stance, good thing too since the three monsters came at him, the first one attempting to flatten him under its foot. The second tried to impale him with its clawed hands. The third one moved to the side avoiding the sennin's wind push, which flung its two accomplices into another building, the building falling in on itself crushing the two abominations whose bodies could not handle tons of concrete slamming into their forms.

The remaining monster attacked Jiraiya seeing that he was panting from his most recent attack. It swung one clawed hand at the sennin's head but missed as Jiraiya ducked at the last second, he then punched the monster in the gut as hard as he could, and it was pushed back only a few feet. Before it could recover, the sennin powered up a rasengan which he slammed into the still aching gut of the monster. Which resulted in its being blasted backwards, spinning as it hurtled and hit another building.

Jiraiya took a breather, sat down and healed his wounds, the one that he knew how anyway. He would need a medic to fix his shoulder, but his leg was patched up but still hurt, at least it was no longer bleeding. His arms hurt from the shoulder down to the palms of his hands, from using his wind push technique. Swirling winds traveled down his arms starting from his shoulders, and moving outwards from his open palms when he does a pushing motion. Even as experienced in battle as he was the injury to his leg and shoulder caused a slight slip in his control of the winds which caused cuts to appear on his arms. But he was able to heal those as well, yet the pain still lingered. After using the technique the first time, his arms started to numb. His training as a fighter is what allowed him to continue with the battle.

He knew that the battle for the town was far from over so after the quick rest, he continued on his way through the town every now and then having to take on another monster or three.

* * *

After toppling another building on top of his latest monster kill, he felt it, power without equal. Or so he thought until not a second later after the power had stopped increasing, he felt another wave of power, just as strong as the previous one, but this one feeling different from the first, this one was slightly more controlled.

At that point he knew that his student was in for the ride of his life, a fight that he knew that he would be hard pressed not to roll over and just die.

After dispatching yet another group of monstrosities, these ones having no legs but serpent like tails, they resembled naga, but were huge and they had four arms instead of just two. The fight had injured him further another group battle could take him out for good, so he took a seat on the street by the corpses of his foes, and rested, but when he looked towards the docks, he was amazed at what he saw.

Dragons flew in the sky battling each other for dominance, dragons of different colors, of different elements were clawing at one another, scratching, biting, ripping into one another, all of them fighting as if they were alive.

* * *

Sometime later, on the same street as he was resting, the remaining kumo-nin he was with earlier landed near him panting. After resting for a while, and taking some soldier pills and other cures, they traveled through the town taking out what enemies they could find. More bodies littered the street, all of which looked to have been brought down by a blade of wind all the wounds that they took a look at were clean cuts.

As they were traveling on the rooftops they too saw the clash of the mystical titans. By the time they reached Jiraiya the battle seemed to be coming to a close. The group then decided to move towards the center of the town, to regroup with whoever would be there.

Moving towards the center of the town they met up with other groups of nin that had been passing by and decided to help in the fight. These other nin seemed to have come from other villages aside from Kumogakure no Sato. Surprisingly or not, Jiraiya was the only one from Konohagakure no Sato. It seemed they all had the same idea, that was to go to the center of town.

Upon arriving at their destination, they were greeted by the sight of other injured, and some uninjured who were acting as impromptu medics. They were bandaging the injured, and treating their wounds. The center of town was packed with injured and uninjured were moving around, like bees each with a task to complete. There were even some people in the street leading in and out of the center of town.

Noticing that more injured had arrived some of the people took the more severely injured ninjas somewhere that they could be treated, the rest were told to just find a place to sit and rest.

Not long after some of the ninjas, including Jiraiya had drifted off to sleep, too tired from battling the inhuman and human foes.

After a while the people were greeted by the sight of a man clad in all black, his clothes were in pristine condition, nothing was out of place, he did not look like he was part of the battle to defend the port town.

After speaking a few words he left the port town.

The resting people were left to sleep where they were. But the ninjas that were sleeping were awoken by their comrades, some of whom left the town to return home and report what had happened. Some left to complete their missions. Not all the teams that arrived left complete, there were some that had lost a comrade or two, others that only had just one member left, and there were others that just couldn't stand the sight of people helping them. Jiraiya was awoken from his slumber by the kumo-nins that fought alongside him, they told him about what he had missed, and wished him luck with whatever it was that he was going to do. Then they left him alone in a town of strangers that he had helped.

He was given room and board in the remaining hotel in the town, the others had collapsed due to the fighting. He decided to rest a while, the fact that his student was the one to end the lives of the leaders of the attack, and that said student was no where in the town had yet to set in. It had been three days after the battle that he realized that he had no clue as to where his student was. He knew they were supposed to meet up at around the time of the battle, but forgot about it after all the commotion.

That was when the information from the Kumo-nin sank in, the whereabouts of his student was lost to him, he had no idea where his student could be, what condition he was in, and where or how to start looking, the only clue he had was that the a man in black attire had taken him away to recuperate.

He also realized then and there that his formerly flat-chested teammate was going to kill him when she found out that he had lost his student.

He knew it was cowardly of him not to immediately inform his village leader of his irresponsibility, but he cared for the young man, and after some more days, left in search of his student as well as keeping up with his research.

As important as his student was to him, his village also depended on him to monitor the movements of other nations, villages, and certain organizations.

He would from that moment on, until he found his student or his student found him, which ever came first, spend half his time searching for his student and spend the other half doing research.

* * *

A month later on another continent a young man's eyes were fluttering open, the first thing he noticed was the white ceiling, what followed was the smell of disinfectant.

The first thought that passed through his mind was that he was at a hospital.

'_I hate hospitals_' he thought.

He tried to sit up but found that he was too weak to do so. So he just moved his head trying to take a look at his surroundings.

On one side of his bed were a number of medical contraptions, some of which were attacked to him, some monitoring his breathing, others monitoring his heart rate, others his brain for some reason, and other his chakra.

On the other side of his bed was a chair with a sleeping nine-tailed-fox curled up in it. Leaning on the chair was a sheathed katana with a plain handle and cross guard, on a table also beside his bed was a kunai, slightly longer than a normal one, but a kunai nonetheless. Hanging on the backrest of the chair were some clothes, clothes that resembled the ones the man he recalled fighting was wore.

Then another struck him, the town, the battle, did he win, were the people okay, and lastly where was he.

In his panicked state he tried to get up once more, but like his previous attempt he found that he couldn't sit up. He wasn't going anywhere.

But his attempts had awakened the sleeping kitsune on the chair.

"**Yo! Glad to see you're awake!" **stated the kitsune.

The young man's head snapped to where he heard the voice.

"Who said that? Show yourself!"

"**Yo,"** the kitsune said once more while waving a paw, **"Over here."**

"You?"

"**Me."**

"I thought there was only one of you."

"**Well, that is still true."**

"How'd you get out?!" he paused thinking, "We're dead! I'm dead!" he continued to panic even more, while still being unable to move anything other than his head.

"**We're not dead. I was just freed. Any other questions?"**

"So…are you gonna eat me?"

"**Why would I do that?"**

"Well, you're free."

"**Sorry to burst your bubble, but you wouldn't taste good."**

"What do you mean I wouldn't taste good? I would taste great! Stop insulting me!"

"**For your information I haven't insulted you yet. But are you saying I should eat you?"**

"Well, no. But.."

"**I don't like ramen."**

"How can you not like ramen! The food of the gods! The…" his rant was cut short by the door to the infirmary opening, and someone entering.

The person who entered the room was wearing back pants, boots, and a white long sleeved shirt. His hair was in a lose pony-tail.

"Ah, good, you're finally awake. I was beginning to think you were in a coma or something," the man said, "I almost fed your recovering body to Touken."

"Who?"

"**Me, luckily I don't want to eat you."**

"Imagine that. Also sad to say I have to disagree with you, ramen is not the food of the gods."

"Then what is? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

"I wouldn't know! Do I look like a god?"

"**Could've fooled me…"** the kitsune mumbled.

"Shut it you," he said to the kitsune, "Do you have any questions for me?"

"Yeah, who are you? Where am I?" then pointing at the kitsune, "How'd he get out?"

"In order, I," pointing to himself, "am Kyonshi."

"Your name means 'reanimated corpse'."

"I know. Don't worry I'm not."

"**Could've fooled me…" **the kitsune mumbled again.

Instead of saying anything, Kyonshi just kicked the kitsune through a wall or five, and continued.

"Don't mind him, where was I?"

Visibly shaken at the display of power, the young man answered, "Uh…where I am?"

"Ah yes, you are currently in my home."

"Where is that then?"

"Can't remember."

"Its your home, but you don't know where it is?"

"Yup. I haven't a clue."

"Then how'd you get here, bring me here if you don't know where we are?"

"Ah, hmm…" scratching the back of his head, Kyonshi nervously laughed for a bit, "Ah, well, you see…I'll tell you when you're older."

"Eh? Tch, whatever, I'll figure it out. So how'd the fox get out?"

"I pulled him out." Kyonshi simply stated.

"That's it?"

"Yup. That's it, why is that a problem?"

"Yes that's a problem I could have died!" the youth shouted.

"Could have, past tense. You aren't dead."

"…"

"Now then, if you have no more questions, I shall continue with what I was going to tell you in the first place."

He moved to sit on the chair, which he did, once he was comfortable he snapped his fingers which made the youth comfortable somehow.

"Touken told me that you are named Uzumaki Naruto, is this correct?" he asked.

"Yes." Naruto answered.

"Nice to meet you Naruto-kun, I am Toukou Kyonshi, and am very interested in you."

"Err, you too, but what do you mean you are interested in me?"

"Well, you killed one of my students."

"I did," slight panic, "I'm sorry, I didn't know, uhm…"

"Yes?"

"Who was your student?"

"The person that got you injured enough to need a month's worth of bed rest."

"Him! That guy was your student," he received a nod, "Then I'm not sorry I killed him."

Smiling, Kyonshi asked, "Why is that?"

"Because if I didn't then he would continue to kill innocent people."

"Au contraire, if you didn't kill him, I would have."

Naruto stared at him incredulously, "Why would you kill your own student??"

Leaning back on the backrest to make himself more comfortable, he said, "Because he, and four others, left me without my permission. They," he paused thinking of the best word to use, "broke their promise to me."

"Just cause they broke a promise to you, you'd kill them?"

"Well it was a special promise, so yes, I would, and did." Kyonshi said calmly like it was an everyday thing, killing one's own students.

"B-b-but…"

"There are no 'buts'. Another question, are you happy about what you have done?"

"Huh? Do what?" he asked confused.

"Are you happy that you saved me the trouble of killing my student? Are you happy that you killed someone? That you killed another human being? Someone with his own dreams? Someone with his own ambitions? Someone with his own goals? Are you happy that you took someone else's life? I know you aren't stupid," he growled out the last part, his voice growing a menacing edge.

"I..wha..?" then images, memories of that day turned night over a month ago surfaced to the front of his mind. Images to the things he had done as he fought his foe, in their battle of life and death.

He recalled the men he had beaten up, before heading off towards the docks, the docks where he battled that red clad man.

He remembered that after a sudden increase in his speed he shoved his kunai through the heart of his foe.

"I-I-I-I…" he started to stutter.

"Now you realize what you have done. Are you happy?"

"N-n-no." he answered shakily.

"Good. If you were, I would have killed you too."

"…"

"I believe that he was your first kill, correct?" he looked at Naruto.

"…"

Not receiving an answer, "You may nod if yes, or shake your head if no."

Naruto nodded feeling guilty from what he had done, even if the man he had killed was another person, another human being, he was someone that needed to be killed.

Continuing the line of thought that Naruto was thinking, Kyonshi continued, "I believe that you are now realizing that sometimes there are times that you must do things that you do not like, or will not like, or even will regret doing. This is something that you must learn if you are to continue with your profession," he paused to see if his companion understood what he was saying, "There are times when things such as what you have done become necessary. Should he have lived, and had I not been present, all the people in that port would most likely no longer be counted among the living, and those that still would be alive would be living a meaningless existence."

"I think I get what you're saying. Its just that, well, wasn't there any other way?" Naruto tried to console himself by asking.

"Do you think my deceased bloodthirsty student would have listened to reason? Reasons that were not his own?"

"Well…no. I guess not," he paused, "But why did it have to be me?"

"There is a time and place for everything, just as there is a time and place for everyone. It just so happened that you were the one to confront him, you were given a choice, and you chose."

"What do you mean I was given a choice, he was killing people, he would have killed more people if I didn't act."

"Precisely, had you chosen not to attack, had you chosen not to call on the power of Touken, had you not decided to stand between him and the town, you would not have ended his life." He explained.

"But I killed him."

"Yes you did. But I'm sure you had a good reason to. I mean, would you rather he killed more? I think not. You did the right thing. You took a life, deal with it," he paused thinking, as if trying to remember something, "I once read somewhere that stated: Kill one, save a thousand."

"Ok, I think I really understand now," he paused again, "But I don't think I can accept what I did, yet."

"In time, you will," clasping his hands together, Kyonshi straightened his back, "Now onto business," snapping his fingers again, a rolled up scroll appeared on the table by the bed, "In this scroll," he pointed to the scroll, "Are maps of my home, as well as some instructions, ending with a question. I expect an answer by the end of the month."

"Ok."

"Good," Kyonshi stood up from the seat, and started towards the door, "I will see you in a month, should you have any additional questions, just ask Touken," with that he left Naruto alone in the infirmary.

* * *

Back with Naruto, after Kyonshi left the infirmary the medical equipment just vanished, as if they weren't there in the first place.

So Naruto got off the bed and just attributed the vanished equipment with the weirdness of Kyonshi.

He then took the clothes that were hanging on the backrest of the chair, and put them on. They fit perfectly, he liked the feeling, and the clothes, even though they were similar to the ones the his first kill wore. He took the katana and strapped it to his waist, and placed the kunai in a sheath on his arm.

He looked for a mirror, and after finding one, took a look at himself.

He wore a hooded trench coat the outside was dark red in color, the inside was white. Underneath the coat he wore a dark red shirt with an orange spiral over where his heart would be. His pants were also dark red, with white clouds embroidered on the sides of the pant legs. Shielding his feet from the elements were a pair of boots the color of dried blood. As for his hands, he had a pair of dirty white colored gloves that sported a some red splotches here and their, as if he had bloodied his gloves killing someone with his bare hands.

After admiring himself in the mirror, he walked back to his bed, and unfurled the scroll on the bed. The instructions written on the scroll were directions to the room he would be staying in, as well as the rules to be observed in Kyonshi's home.

The rules were quite a lot, there were rules like 'no killing other sentient life-forms found in the fortress' this rules having a footnote which just said, 'if it can talk don't kill it'. Then there were rules like, 'if you have no other choice, but to kill something, go ahead, just don't come running to me when you realize that you have bitten off more than you can chew'. There were even rules like, 'don't jump off the cliffs' and 'finders keepers losers weepers, but if you claim something of mine, I'll hang your body above a pit of the most poisonous things I can think up'. Then there were also rules like, 'jump up and down three times if you find yourself stuck in a white space'. The rules were filled with such stuff, but of course there were sensible rules.

The maps were not ordinary maps, they were not sketches of the layout of the fortress, each map had artistic paintings on them surrounding the detailed map of each floor, the layout of each floor depicted were very detailed, down to what piece of furniture was found where.

The instructions, rules, and the map weren't the only things in the scroll, there was also a short note stating that there were more clothes identical to the ones he was wearing in the wardrobe of his room.

Aside from those things there was also a small black leather bound book, it was the length and width of two playing cards placed side by side. On the first few pages there were instructions, on how to use it. It was a mini-library of sorts, complete with a search function. There was even a small pen or marker inserted into the spine of the book.

He placed the note in a pocket on his person, same thing with the notebook, then he rolled up the scroll.

"**Kage Bushin no Jutsu**" he said, then seven clones popped up, six of whom took one map, the seventh taking the scroll, and Naruto the original took the remaining map.

"Time to look around then," once leaving the infirmary with his clones he said, "Here's hoping I don't get lost."

He along with his clones thus began their first adventure in a new place, which consisted of them finding their way around the fortress, then after finding his room and resting, he would explore the outside.

* * *

At the end of the day, instead of finding his room, he and his clones found themselves on top of one of the roofs of the fortress, looking out at the view, and boy what a view it was, he realized that he was really high up in a place he had no idea where it was, he was in a fortress that was on top of a mountain, surrounded by a jungle, surrounded by a desert, surrounded by a forest, surrounded by a fog.

Placing the scroll it was holding, one clone leaned over the edge of the roof to see how far up they were.

Another clone nearest to the one leaning over the edge made to grab the clone by the edge, but accidentally pushed the clone over the edge.

"**Kage Bushin no Jutsu**" the remaining Naruto's said, further dividing their chakra. The original clones and their creator handed the new arrivals the maps, and the scroll. They then went to the edge and peered over to watch the single clone fall to its doom.

After the clone died from its fall over not just the side of the roof but the side of the mountain, the roof they were on was situated beside one side of the mountain, it was a sheer drop, Naruto yelped in shock sending him over the edge, the memory of how it felt to fall over the edge and go splat were fresh in his mind. Thinking quickly he created more clones, having them form a human rope. The time it took to do this, as it took several tried, Naruto's nose was one inch away from a very pointy rock spike.

After dropping down he realized that what his clones learned he learned, why he hadn't noticed this before he didn't know, it might be due to the fact that he was mostly in the heat of battle, therefore ignored such thoughts.

He now found a new way to train, to get stronger. But before that he first had to figure out how to get back up to the fortress, and then locate his room, then go to sleep, or find some food first, or something, but his main priority was getting back to the fortress.

Looking up the rock wall he thought, '_This is gonna be a long walk_.' Then he started to walk up the wall, hoping against all hope that he didn't run out of chakra before reaching the top, cause that would be very bad for his health.

* * *

The clones that were still in existence that were on the roof, then just decided that since they were still there, then their boss was still alive, and that they should find some food for him as well as his room for when he returns from wherever the hell he went. One of the clones kicking one of the roof, sending it to certain doom just for the heck of it.

* * *

Naruto had reached his hundred foot mark, at least he thought that it was already a hundred feet, though in reality it was already one hundred and one inch.

This was when he started to hearing screaming and swearing.

"Hello boss, goodbye boss," was heard as he saw one of his clones going in the opposite direction as he was.

After the clone passed Naruto, the screaming and swearing began anew.

A few minutes later, Naruto still not used to the memories of his clones suddenly popping up in his head, was caught unprepared when the memory of the last clone he saw popped joined his memory that he lost his hold on the cliff face and started to fall.

Shouts of "**Kage Bushin no Jutus**" rang out once again. But luckily or unluckily, the Naruto-clone rope couldn't be formed properly, so instead of relying on that Naruto flipped himself around, thinking quickly he stretched out his arm, forming a shining blue orb in he palm of his hand, he shouted "**RASENGAN!**" with echoes of his shout reverberating around him as his clones did the same, the blue balls destroying the stone spikes that would have impaled him and his clones.

Unfortunately a ghost of a memory of one of his clones still being impaled joined his memory. The clone nearest to the stone spike that ended the existence of one of its comrades destroyed the spike.

'_This is gonna take a while_,' was the thought that once again passed through his mind. Attaching himself to the cliff face he started his trek up once more.

* * *

Even though he could summon toads, that didn't mean that he could use them to help him. One of the rules said so, 'under no circumstances are summons to be summoned without my express permission, life or death situations are no exceptions, violators will be sprayed with hormones that will attract various creatures that will try and mate with the source of the smell, or odor, or signals the hormones give or send out.'

* * *

It took Naruto two hundred and eighty seven tries before he reached the fortress, it had taken him seventy two hours to do it too.

He took breaks in between tries. It had also cost him thousands of clones, some died due to the boredom of others, they seemed to have gained a mind of their own, since when ever Naruto got to either one fourth the way up or half the way up a clone would die.

The clones up top, found some food and as suggesten by Touken decided to drop several apples every now and then off of the roof that their boss had fallen off of.

After Naruto noticed the apples falling would then create clones to gather the apples, some of which were passed upwards by the falling clones to their creator. After countless trials and errors, Naruto had come up with a number of things that he and his clones could do, while at the bottom of the cliff, while walking up the cliff face, while falling off the cliff, while in mid air. He and his clones were able to kill three ten foot tall lions that had come out of the surrounding jungle, thus gaining him some battle experience.

He was also able to take down a number of other larger than normal predators that came out of the jungle, this being another reason why it took him so long to get up.

He was able to make it up on his two hundred eighty seventh try since there were several large lizards that were chasing him up the cliff face. Hundreds of clones gave their lives in attempts that eventually succeeded in killing the lizards by their fall from such heights.

But before entering the fortress with the original clones, he created around five hundred clones and sent them down the cliff to retrieve his trophies.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 3**

The sun shone into the room, birds were chirping outside the bedroom window, and one blonde, blue-eyed hooligan's eye's started to flutter open.

Rolling off the bed he did some stretches to further wake himself up, then he walked to the bathroom to wash up, and generally prepare for the rest of the new day.

He showered, and for once in his life with unlimited warm-hot water, for a couple minutes, then he brushed his teeth, then went to the closet to get his gear.

After dressing he left the room, but before leaving the corridor he bolted, locked, chained, in short he sealed his room shut. This was due to there being a rule stating that 'should I find your room unlocked, I will let myself in, and paint the room a shocking pink, this will traumatize you so bad, that when you see the color pink you will assume the foetal position'.

'_That dude seriously has some weird rules_,' Naruto thought to himself.

Now in his red ensemble, Naruto headed for the mess hall, where he hoped to see other life forms asides from Touken, also hopefully he'd get to talk to Kyonshi about the proposal, that is if the black clad man makes an appearance.

Seventy-two minutes of walking later, he found the mess hall doors, but before opening them, he realized that there was noise coming from the other side.

The noise sounded like talking, chatting, laughing, taunting, etcetera, all jumbled up into noise. It looked like he'd get to see, meet, and talk with the other residents and guests of the fortress.

Upon entering he was greeted with the sight of a host of other beings, ranging from other humans, to Touken in full-on-fox-form eating and chatting with one another. The humans ranged in color, shape, and size as well. He noticed that there were those with darken skin than his own, there were those with even lighter skin. There were those with blue eyes just like him, there were those with red eyes, white eyes, pink eyes, green, every color of the rainbow eyes, and lots more, there were even those with a different color for each eye. Hair color-wise, he's seen his fair share of shades, but to see someone with hair that constantly was changing colors was a real shocker. Body types and builds, they ranged from skeletal to bulgingly muscular. Height wise, well, most of them were taller than him, he hadn't gone through his growth spurt yet.

The other beings ranged from human-like, to animal-like, to animal, and then some. There were angels and demons, there were dwarves and elves, there were a couple of giants in the hall as well as some gnomes, there was a dragon or two, and some other things he could not name. How so many different things could fit into the mess hall he had no idea.

Staring at the congregation of beings he couldn't help but think, '_Thats a lot of people_'.

A booming voice startled him from his staring, "**Hey! Naruto! Over here!**" shouted Touken while waving Naruto over with one of his beautiful nine tails.

Walking over, Naruto asked, "H-how...?"

"**You're wondering how everyone can fit in here, yes?**" he waited for an answer.

"Yeah."

"**Simple!**" he dramatically paused, "**I have no idea."**

Naruto fell face first on the floor, not expecting that answer. He had expected that the Kyuubi being such an ancient being it would know how to do things like fit so many in what, from the outside, looks like a very small space. Its not like he could just ask the guy who owned the fortress, since Kyonshi was no where to be found.

After getting back on his feet he said, "What the hell was the dramatic pause for! I actually thought you knew!"

"**Well I don't, deal with it,**" Touken answered, "**I may be ancient, but that doesn't mean I know everything.**"

"I have another question."

"**You want to know why there are so many people today, but only me yesterday.**"

"Err, yeah."

"**They were hiding under illusions.**"

"Why"

A new voice joined the conversation, "Simple, we wanted to see what kind of person you are."

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Dorotabo, I mean we wanted to see what you were like when in the presence of one who knows you. What you really are like." the new voice answered.

Dorotabo looked like an old man, who wore a battered brown shirt, grey pants, and straw sandals. He looked like a person who spent his days working in a rice field.

"Huh?" was the unintelligent reply of Naruto.

"What the old man means is that, we wanted to know who you are, and I don't mean your name, but who you," a second voice entered the conversation, he pointed at Naruto, "are."

"And you are?" Naruto asked the second new conversation participant.

"I am Hyakume! The monster with a hundred eyes!" he proclaimed. And indeed he had a hundred eyes, two on his face, the rest on a pitch black cloak that he wore to cover himself, underneath the cloack were just shadows.

"Uhm, nice to meet you, I'm Naruto" Naruto extended his hand, which Hyakume grasped and shook.

"Nice to meet you too Naruto."

"Anything else you want to ask?" asked Dorotabo.

"Uhm, why did you guys want to know who I am?"

"Simple, we were just curious as to what you possess that would cause Kyonshi-sama to be more than interested in you," was Hyakume's answer.

"**You see, it is very rare that Kyonshi-sama brings someone here.**"

"Why is that?"

"Well, you see most of us just stumbled upon this place by accident, and Kyonshi-sama just decided to take us in, so to speak. Some of the others were _born_ here," Dorotabo said.

"Oh. So.." but before Naruto could finish his sentence Hyakume interupted.

"Naruto, I think you'd better eat now. All or most of your questions will be answered by Kyonshi-sama eventually."

Naruto followed what his new found friend, and like the day before, he sat down infront of the table and wrote what he wanted to eat on the table, and in a pop his food appeared there in front of him.

'_Glorious Ramen!!!_' he mentally shouted, and quickly started to dig in.

From the other end of the table Dorotabo and Hyakume watched Naruto devour bowl after bowl of Ramen. Their eyes were open wide, as Naruto finished each bowl with blinding speed, not a noodle or drop wasted. Hyakume's hundred eyes were wide with shock, '_How can one so small eat so much?_' he mentally asked himself.

'_Thats a lot of bowls,_' was what Dorotabo was thinking.

Some of the other occupants of the hall noticed Naruto and his continually growing stacks of bowls.

A toilet with an eye instead of a handle had its lid popped up in disbelief while thinking '_How can he eat that filth.._' The toilet monster being a health freak, it knew that ramen is not filled with the nutrients needed by humans to be healthy. It just flushed the water in its bowl shaped mouth several times, before hopping away.

One of the giants just had admiration sparkling in its eyes, while it watched Naruto go nuts eating ramen. The giant admired Naruto, since such a small package could stuff so much food in. The giant just assumed that Naruto had fooled them all, that he was in reality another giant hiding under an illusion, and for a giant to create such an illusion was quite unique and admirable.

A Kanedama, which is a spirit of money thought, '_If I owned a ramen stand, I'd be rich._' He was a portly man who was salivating at the possibilities if only he knew how to cook ramen.

Other thoughts were going through the minds of the numerous other beings present. Some were intrigued by the sight, others disgusted, while others just didn't care.

But there was one being, hiding high in among the shadows created by the rafters lining the ceiling, who wished to act at seeing the unsightly scene of Naruto devouring unhealthy bowl after unhealthy bowl.

"Should he accept my proposal, I will force him to eat something other than that filth, even if it wll kill me, he will learn," he whispered to the air around him.

Back on the ground, Touken, who was just slowly eating his beef stew, just chuckled to himself thinking, '_**At least I'm no longer in his gut**__._'

After finishing off his two hundred eighty seventh bowl of ramen, Naruto decided to stick around and talk to his new friend, pester Touken, and observe the others around him.

Thirty minutes of talking, pestering, and observing later, Naruto left the mess hall heading in the direction of the main gate.

There was a cave that his clones had found the day before. He decided that he would spend his day exploring.

* * *

The cave entrance was located an hour's run away from the fortress, its entrance was over thirty feet high and twenty seven feet wide. It was pitch black inside, the sun's light ended at the very entrance, none of the light daring to enter the cave for some reason.

Naruto created two hundred fifty clones, he had them go into the cave fifty at a time, each group was to map out the inside of the cave, and of course alert him of any danger lurking within. If there are giant predators in the jungle surrounding the base of the mountain, what's stopping the same things from living in a cave.

The groups were sent into the cave every twenty seven minutes.

After the fifth group had been sent in, Naruto created fifty more clones to keep him company and to guard him, from any presently unseen dangers in the area around him.

Good thing he did to, for not even a full minute after creating his bodyguards they were attacked. Their attackers resembled minotaurs, except instead of the regular two horns, there were four horns on their heads. There were slightly more than a hundred of them in number.

They made quick work of the clones, vanquishing one clone after another in quick succession, but that doesn't mean that Naruto's side were unable to take down some of the attacking ushi-oni. For every clone that went poof, one of the attackers was defeated. After the last clone had been taken out, Naruto was left alone, in the midst of fifty ushi-oni. The only thing he learned from his clones was that these things were really strong, and slow, but still really strong. Their strength clearly made up for their lack of speed.

The closest of the ox-men to Naruto punched Naruto, and sent him careening towards one of the boulders that litterd the outside of the cave. As Naruto hit, the ox-men collectively laughed at the misfortune of the weak flesh bag, which gave Naruto some time to recover.

Naruto remembered that he was armed and unsheathed his two blades, he held his katana, and his kunai in backwards grips, his kunai in front of him, and katana behind him, he crouched down, and prepared for the ushi-oni that he was sure would come at him en-masse, once they realized that he wasn't down for the count.

* * *

Sometime after Naruto had sent out the first group of clones, they had reached quite far into the depths of the cave. After traveling in a single direction for a time, they came upon a chamber with four separate tunnels.

One of the clones decided to take charge of the situation, it randomly picked a tunnel, and with the help of some other clones chiseled a message above the tunnel opening, stating that they went in it. It then divided his fellow clones into groups of five, sending each group into the tunnel every three minutes. Its group being the last ones to enter.

After travelling for some time, all the groups ended up in a large cavern, the walls covered in differently colored crystals, some of the crystals, notably the blue ones were glowing, and were illuminating the cavern. Before doing anything, the clones watiedd for instructions from the clone that made itself their captain.

Thinking quicly, the captain divided his clone unit into two groups. The first would traverse the whole of the cavern, they would take note of any other tunnels leading into the massive cavern. The remaining clones would wait for the recon team to finish their mission, before they bagan their own.

Upon returning from their mission, the recon clones reported that they found no other entrances in the cavern. But they did find the skeletal remains of an army's worth of creatures. Something did not feel right about the cave, the clones started to have a collective feeling of being watched somehow.

The clone captain ordered his men to spread out, but not too far apart from one another that they would not be able to aid one another.

One of the clones noticed some movement on one of the farther walls. A bunch of clones noticed some rocks had fallen from the walls nearest them.

That was when they finally realized that they were not alone in the cavern. They were then sure that there were more than one of these unknown observers, and based on the bones left in another part of the cavern proved anything, these things weren't friendly.

They may be clones, but like their creator they didn't want to die, they were essentially just copies of the original, but at the same time they too existed.

They would stand their ground, and beat whatever these things were, if they failed, there was a possibility that these things would leave the cavern and go after their creator. Just like the original, they wouldn't go down without a fight.

Seconds ticked by as if they were hours. Then as the first clone poofed out of existence, the battle for survival had begun, the clones burst into action bringing forth Rasengan after Rasengan, and slamming them into their attackers. They didn't care to really take a look at their opponents, they just attacked like a force of berserkers.

Their opponents were humanoid creatures, their bodies made out of rocks, but were covered in a crystalline armor, that were not immune to being shattered by spinning spheres of chakra. They attacked the clones with claws made out of diamonds, their eyes were rubies, and as some parted their mouths to take a bite into a clone their teeth shone like sharpened emeralds.

Even though the cavern was overrun by these crystal creatures, the clones were holding their ground, so far only losing five of their number, while more than two hundred had fallen to their Rasengan barrage. The clones circulated their chakra as not to lose any and go poof themselves. Their Rasengans were extensions of their beings.

After the three hundreth crystal creature fell lifeless to the floor, its comrades ceased their advance. They just stood watching, their prey.

The clones noticed what the creatures were doing, some of them started to power down their attacks. But before the first one could shut off its attack, the clone captain motioned for it to stop its action, along with the actions of the other relaxing clones.

The clone captain noticed that something was not right with their situation, the creatures seemed to be waiting for something.

Suddenly there was a rumbling beneath their feet, the crystal creatures started to panic, racing towards their hidden tunnels, the ground started to shake, growing in intensity as the seconds passed.

The clones decided to move closer to one another, half the clones powering down their attacks entirely. While the other half defended against the falling rocks and crystals.

The rumbling and shaking of the earth lasted for a good thirty minutes, miraculously none of the remaining forty four clones perished.

Instead of relaxing the clones were grew more cautious and alert. Something caused the tremors, and something must have scared off those crystal creatures. The clones visually scanned the cavern, searching for any new threats. Seeing none, they still did not relax, they instinctively knew that something was coming, when, or from where they did not know, but they knew something was coming.

It happened in an instant, more than half the clones had ceased to exist, the remaining twenty landed on their asses in different parts of the cavern. Where they were once standing was now a gaping hole in the cavern floor, and beside it a towering monster.

It was half as tall as the cavern it was standing in, it had two sets of arms, and one pair of legs. Its body looked to be made out of some sort of liquid metal which reflected the glow of the blue crystals. Its feet looked to be made out of solid rock, possibly granite. It didn't have hands, but like the previous monsters it had claws, which looked to be made out of iron. Its head looked like two dragon heads that were merged at their base, the thing had two sets of eyes, one set above its snout, and one set below, as it opened its maw its pointed teeth glowed in the same light produced by the blue crystals. It also had a tail, one that looked to slightly longer than the rest of its body, but unlike its body it looked to be made out of bones.

Before any of the clones could do anything the thing spoke.

"**So, that fool Kyonshi has finally sent out another group of warriors to try and kill me!**" the thing bellowed, "**After I kill you all, I will go after that fool! After I kill him I will gain all his powers and rule the world above as well as below!**"

"Hey ugly! You ain't killin no one! We'll be the ones doing the killing here! Not some ugly ass hell thing like you!" one of the clones shouted, followed by shouts of agreement from its brothers.

"**Insolent fool! You will be the first one to die!**" as it said this it swung one of its arms at the spot that the clone was standing.

The clone jumped out of the way just in the nick of time. Then it and its brothers jumped into action.

One of the clones attacked the leg of the monster with a Rasengan, the ball dissipated after a short while, the clone jumped away winded, some of its essense had been absorbed by the monster's skin. The monster paid the clone no mind, it just continued to try and destroy the clone that insulted it.

The clone just kept avoiding swipes, and stomps, which further infuriated the monster.

The other clones tried out the Jutsus they knew, trying to see if one of them would harm the monster.

The remaining clones moved around the monster, they too avoiding the attention of the monster.

After a few minutes of playing ring around the roses, the dodging clone was finally destroyed, it was impaled by a shower of crystal spears that were launched out of the mouth of the monster.

After the successful attack the monster then grabbed some crystal from one of the walls, and ate them. The monster seemingly paused for a few seconds as if regaining its strength.

The clones noticed that after the crystal shower the monster looked like it weakened. It took about two minutes for it to regain its strength, a short time for the monster, but a long time for the clones. So they quickly devised a plan. They would infuriate the monster into using the crystal shower attack on them, as much as possible, then when the monster rested they would attack with the only Jutsu that seemed to put a dent into its hide.

After the plan was formed they readied themselves, the monster had not yet picked a new target. But it did try to attack the nearest clone. The clones took to shouting insults at the monster, as well as taunts like, "That first one was a lucky shot! He was tired you ugly overgrown lizard!" or "Is that the best you can do!" and "If you can't beat us, what makes you think you can beat Kyonshi!"

That last one made the monster go after the clone that shouted it.

Insult after insult, the clones were quickly able to annoy, frustrate, and outright infuriate the monster, that it finally released its attack, but unlike the first time, it not only shot out crystal spears out of its mouth, but also out of its body. The attack was meant to be an area attack that would wipe out the clones, but it only succeeded in eliminating one. The other clones hid behind the crystals lying around the place. That one attack seemed to have greatly weakened the monster, seeing as its liquid metal like exterior looked lke it had hardened. It went about grabbing and gobbling crystals much slower than the first time. It looked to have spent up almost all its energy in that last attack.

Wasting no time, the clones went to work, they bombarded the monsters joints with dragons made of the rocks in the cavern. The monster could hear shouts of "**Doton: Doryuudan!**" Every now and them it had to stop from its munching to take a swipe at one of the clones.

When there were only two clones left, the monster had cracks running up and down its body. The two clones then decided that since they were the last ones left, they would attack the monster with an Odama Rasengan to the head, so they started to power up the more powerful version of the Rasengan while running up the back of the beast.

The monster paid them no mind, it just slowly consumed crystal after crystal, the cracks starting to disappear from the end of the bony tail, slowly moving upwards. But alas, its rate of regeneration was too slow as compared to the speed at which the two clones were running up its back. As the healing process reached its stomach, the two clones crashed the giant ball of chakra onto the monster's head, effectively shattering its skull, followed by the rest of its body.

Once the mass of rock, crystal, and bone finally came crashing to the ground, the two clones just plopped on their asses, to regain lost energy and rest.

Naruto due to his seventy two ordeal with the cliff, had been able to tweak the Kage Bushin no Jutsu into allowing his clones to regain lost chakra. This could only happen when they rested, also known as kept still, or slept.

So one clone went of to dream land, while the other kept watch. Those crystal creatures could return at any moment now that the monster that scared them off was dead.

* * *

At the same time that the events of the crystal cavern were taking place, the second group of clones had also had an adventure of their own.

The second group had taken the tunnel next to the one that the first group took, they too had a self appointed captain. They travelled through the tunnel also in groups of five. But they did not come out into a cavern filled with crystals. The cavern they came out into was one filled with what looked like water, with a few islands spread throughout the cavern. Along the walls a glowing moss was growing, the light it produced was yellow in color, and it was that that lit up the cavern. But the moss wasn't the only thing that was of that color.

Peering into the water some of the clones noticed streaks, lines, and traces, of a yellowish substance on the floor of the underground lake.

Before diving into the water the captain had half of the clones check out the rest of the cavern, there was the possibility that they were not alone in there. The remaining half were to scale the walls and see if there was anything else on them.

The two groups of clones set off to work. Each group doing their assigned tasks. The group scouring the rest of the cavern by hopping from one rock island to another reached the otherside while not encountering anything, once there they just hopped on back to the only entrance they to the cavern they knew of and could find.

The group that were scaling the walls reached the top finding nothing of interest, but on the way down, one of their number found something, or rather something found it.

When the two groups got back together, the captain took a head count, and noticed that one of them was missing. So they just sat around waiting for the missing one to appear. After five minutes of waiting the captain started to feel as if something was not right, so he split every one into pair, him being the one in a three man group, and had them move around the cavern in search for their missing brother.

After the clones returned, the captain took another head count, this time out of the fifty he was expecting, he counted only thirty eight. Worry, fear, and panic started to creep in. The clones were starting to become restless. Everytime they split up more of their number vanished without a trace, even if it was only twice. The captain made up his mind, they would move out as a whole unit. They would first go across the body of water to get to the other side of the cavern. Then from there they would walk up the walls.

But before they could head out, they clones closest to one of the rock islands noticed something standing on it. It appeared to be some sort of fish on two legs. Its scales looked to be made of the same rock that the island that it was standing on was made out of. Its mouth housed row upon row of sharp teeth, and on its head it had two big holes for eyes minus the eyeballs. Its tail was like that of a shark. It had a fin running the length of its back, it had two arms, and two legs, its feet and hands being webbed like a frog. But its underbelly was the only thing that stood out from the rest of its body, it appeared to have the same moss growing there as the moss on the walls. It looked like a half frog-half fish thing. And it was staring right at the group of clones. They could swear it was staring at them hungrily.

Throughout the cavern more and more of the things were starting to make themselves known. They were slowly disengaging themselves from the walls as well as coming out of the ground.

The two groups were watching each other intensively. Each preparing to move at a moment's notice.

A rock from the ceiling fell into the lake, causing ripples to form, and just as the first ripple reached the island where the first creature was on, all hell broke lose.

The fish-men pounced, and the clones dived out of harm's way, some of them clinging to the walls, while others had dived into the water.

The clones on the walls were given priority over the ones in the water, the ones in the water just had to go under to avoid the jumping, pouncing, and grabbing of the fish-men. While the ones on the walls had to run on the walls while avoiding the creatures that would pop up out of the wall itself every now and then, some of the clones were taken out, while some just kept on running, some of them just dived into the water.

The clones noticed that the fish-men were really fast, just as fast as they were even, they also seemed to be avoiding the surface of the lake. One clone thought that maybe they were afriad of water. So testing out his theory it splashed some water in the direction of one of the creatures chasing its brother on the wall.

The creature noticed the water too late, once the water hit its skin it lost its grip on the wall and fell into the water. As its body hit the water, its body started to dissolve rapidly, only leaving the moss on its underbelly intact. The clones theory was correct in a sense, the creatures were afraid of water, but not because it was water, they feared it because the water was acid to them. They weren't just afraid of it, they were deathly afraid of it.

All the clones cannonballed themselves off of the walls and into the water of the lake, effectively killing the creatures on the walls, and some of the ones on the islands, and some of the ones diving above the water taking swipes at the clones in the water.

After the last clone got into the water, clones as one quickly went through a seal set and announced their attack, "**Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!**"

Massive water dragons launched themselves out of the surface of the lake, and rammed their heads into the dozens of fish-men in the cavern, effectively dissolving all of them.

After that little battle was won, the clones then swan to the island, and some of the entrance of the cavern. What they didn't realize was that the moss found on the underbellies of the creatures had not dissolved. While the clones were resting, the moss had slowly been converging together, slowly merging with one another. Until one clone poofed out of existence, while the one sitting beside it fell into the water alerting the rest to the new danger.

Towering above the surface of the water was a monster made of glowing moss. Its movements as fast as the creature that it had grown onto, and it was unbelievably strong for something made out of moss, as proven by the fact that where the moss fist hit, the rock island had cracked.

Apparently the moss on the walls and the moss monster were cousins, one just stuck to the walls, the other evolving with the help of its stone-fish-men hosts. The moss monster was a parasite that absorbed the strength of its hosts. The fish-men were a lot faster than the moss monster, but at the same time a lot weaker than them.

Obviously the water didn't hinder the moss monster at all, it moved just as fast in the water as out of it. And its was big enough that even the clones that scaled the walls to and hung on the ceiling were not safe from its reach, as one of the clones learned.

The water dragons were useless. But the clone captain got an idea, the thing was made of moss, it was a plant, and plants burn. So it ordered the remaining clones to blow fire at the mass of moving moss. A collective shout of "**Katon: Karyuudan!**" Dragons made of searing hot flames permeated the air rushing towards the mass of moving moss igniting parts of the monster.

With its body burning the moss monster submerged its body in the lake, when the flames were all killed it resurfaced. It them pressed itself up against a moss covered wall and absorbed the moss which then replaced the burnt moss.

Seeing that the idea worked to a degree, the clones prepared to let lose another torrent of flames, but their captain stopped them. If they used up all their essence they would die, and it looked like that is what it would take to take down the monster, but what if it wasn't enough. They would not let this monster lose on the rest of the clones that were unprepared to it, their creator would know how to destroy it, but leaving it up to him was something that they would not do. He could be outside fighting for his life against something else, and once the moss monster would reach him, he might be to out of it to destroy the thing.

The clone captain ordered his brethren to use two Jutsus, a third of the clones would send fire dragons directly at the monster, another third would send fire to the moss on the walls nearest to the monster, and the rest of the clones would send lightning dragons at the water to fry the moss in the water.

"At the count of three! One! Two!" the clone captain shouted, "Three!"

"**Katon: Karyuudan!**" two third let lose their dragons of searing flames.

"**Raiton: Rairyuudan!**" the remaining third let lose dragons of electricity, the electricity being the electricity of their bodies, as well as some pulled from static in the air, combined with their chakra the dragons were brought to life.

The moss monster stood no chance. Within seconds only ashes remained. Half of the cavern had lost its light source. The lightning dragon users had spent up all their power and effectively commited seppuku. Of the fire dragons users, only five had survived, the clone captain among them, the others had fallen to their doom, they had to little chakra left to cushion their falls, their impact on the islands, and on the water's suface killing them instantly.

The remaining clones then decided to rest on one of the bigger rock islands, one watching over the others, the captain taking first watch.

* * *

Just as the first group's remaining two members settled down to rest, the earth beneath their feet started to rumble and shake once again. The two clones then sprung up, ready for almost anything, each telling the other that it was an honor fighting alongside one another. Then in an area not far from them an explosion of crystal and rocks occurred. Out of the hole in the ground that was created came out clone group number three. Their tunnel was a long and winding one, with many ups and downs, ending in a dead end that they decided to blast right through with Rasengans. Resulting in their meeting the survivors of the crystal cavern battle.

The two survivors then told the tale of the events that took place in the cavern. Afterwards the clones of group three spent a moment in silence in honor of their fallen comrades. Then the captain of group three decided to put the two survivors out of their misery by shoving kunai into their backs, instantly killing them. He then ordered the remaining clones to empty out the monster's corpse, so that they could use it as a carrying case for as much crystals as they could drag out of the cave.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers," the captain said, "Well in this case, the loser seems to have died."

The clones used Rasengans, their kunai, their hands, and whatever to clean up the corpse, anything they couldn't use they just chucked down the big hole that the thing came out of.

Once the carrying cases for the crystals was finished the clones then started to break off pieces of crystals from the walls, the floor, the ceiling, everywhere.

After the cases were filled to the brim, the group of clones then started their way out of the cavern, heading out to the entrance of the dratted thing, where they were sure their creator was waiting.

Once the last clone with a case entered group one's tunnel the cavern they were in came crashing down into itself, a large chunk of which fell into the hole, and another one covering it. The cavern caved in on itself, since a lot of the crystals that were keeping it up had been removed.

The clones were lucky enough to have gotten out with their treasure. But not all of them made it out before the cave in. The captain, not carrying anything was crushed before he could exit the cavern, the ones with cases of crystals given priority in leaving.

* * *

As group three were making their way out of the tunnel, group four found themselves falling down a hole they had created with the use of one Rasengan. Their tunnel lead then to a hole, that went down, a long way down. They had decided to form a clone rope and lower each other down, luckily five went down the same tunnel as they did, and helped make the rope longer. When the clone rope finally hit a dead end, the clone decided to Rasengan his way through.

At the startling use of the chakra sphere, the one holding the line fell into the hole, causing the clone rope fall into a cavern filled with rocks, rocks, and more rocks.

After scanning the area for anything of interest, the clones picked a direction and started drilling into the wall using Rasengans. After some time they eventually blew a hole into the wall of the cavern with the underground lake, effectively alerting the clones of group two to their presence. The hole they created was one foot above the water's surface. They noticed group two, and were filled in on the events that transpired within.

Groups four and five had no captain to lead them, so they allowed group two to order them around.

They too had noticed the yellowish substance in the water. So the clone captain had all the clones jump into the water, and using their kunai bring the substance up. After one clone brought up some if the stuff, they all realized that it was gold. Not fool's gold, but real gold. So they quickly made short work of the rocks under the water. The clones tore chunks of rocks out of the bottom lake bed. Once the clones were done they had collected one third of the cavern's supply of gold. Utilizing Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, the clones melted the gold, and formed them into slabs that they could carry using a couple of Doton: Doryuu Heki to create the slab molds.

Once they were through the lot of them made their way out of the cave, planning on returning for more later.

All the remaining clones met up in the chamber where the tunnel divereged into four paths, three of which led to one cavern, while one led to another one.

As the clones helped each other with their load of gold, crystals, and gems, they also made it to the mouth of the cave together.

* * *

The sight that greeted them was that of their creator standing above the corpse of the last ushi-oni that he had killed. The stronger one lived, while the weaker ones all died. Naruto had just pulled his katana out of the body of the ushi-oni, when his clone army had returned with their treasure.

As he stood facing his clones, they couldn't help but break out in grins. Based on the position of the sun in the sky it was probably only three in the afternoon, enough time to get back to the fortress before dinner.

'_Well today was an eventual day_' he told himself, '_Wonder what tomorrow will bring._'

Naruto created more clones to help carry the load, so that they could reach the fortress sooner, so that he could also seal the booty in his storage scrolls, like his trophies. Boy, would he have a tale to tell at come dinnertime.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 4**

The day before had been a lousy one, there was nothing to do. Even pushing his clones of the cliffs became lousy after the first fifty. Naruto then resorted to having his clones run around him while he threw rocks at them, moving target practice. When that got boring, he then had the clones attack him, which proved to be painful, seeing as he couldn't dodge that many clones, Tajuu Kage Bushin no Jutsu sucked when you were on the receiving end of the attacks. Afterwards he figured he would go look for his friends, unfortunately they were no where to be found, even during meal time his friends were no where to be found. The other people in the fortress paid him no mind, they just concentrated on their tasks for the day. None of which had anything to do with Naruto.

* * *

So, this new day, Naruto hoped that it would not be as dull as the previous day. Time for another adventure, with an army of one thousand twenty five clones, he had twenty five of the clones throw him and the rest over the side of the mountain so that he could go exploring in the jungle. There may have been a rule against jumping off of cliffs, but there was none about being thrown off of one. So down went one thousand and one Narutos.

As the last Naruto hit the ground, the army scanned their surroundings, after a while of scanning and finding no immediate danger, the clones split up into groups of one hundred, and randomly ran in a direction.

The direction in which all ten groups went, were not really all that random. Five of the groups took the left, and the other took the right. It was a massive split, five hundred travelling in one direction, the others in another direction. Eventually the two groups of five hundred would refine their split in number. Two groups would take to the tree tops, another group would seek out caves, another would dive into rivers and behind waterfalls, while the last groups would just keep running til they ran into something. Whatever that something may be.

Once the army of clones had left Naruto alone at the base of the cliff he created another thousand clones. These clones would begin construction on their creator's base of ground level operations. A fort or outpost of sorts, a headquarters away from the hustle and bustle of the fortress. They outpost would be fully equipped with all facilities needed for an army to survive. The clone army would divide themselves into groups of one hundred.

The first two groups of a hundred were given the task of gathering lumber. One group would be in charge of toppling trees, and the other would be incharge of transporting the lumber back to base.

The next two groups would be given the task of acquiring stone, they would need to survey the area at the base of the mountain for a place suitable for the creation of a quarry. One group would do the digging, while the other would be transport.

The next two groups would be incharge of seeking out some iron ore, and other metals. One group would again, do the digging, rather mining, the other would be the transporters.

Three of the remaining groups were given the task of keeping the other six groups safe from harm. Naruto pumped some more chakra into these clones before he allowed them to set off to complete their required tasks.

The group that remained with him, Naruto assigned them the task of doing the actual construction work. They would be the ones to set the foundation, and do the other things needed for the completion of his base of operations.

Due to having so much experience with creating Kage Bushins, Naruto was now able to create clones anywhere he wished, sort of. He could have a clone appear anywhere he wished as long as he knew precisely where it was. Thanks to this skill, Naruto created an army of another thousand clones at the top of the mountain a few meters away from the fortress. They had been preprogrammed with instructions to head for the fortress library and seek out and read about architecture, construction, and engineering. When they were done, they would disperse in groups of twenty five within intervals of five minutes. Then once the information had successfully integrated itself with the original Naruto's mind, he would then send out the knowledge to the clones that would need the knowledge via his chakra link with his clones.

Before sitting on a random rock to begin meditating, he created yet another army of one thousand clones, and instructed five hundred of them to follow the orders given by the group of construction clones. The other five hundred would be the security detail of the construction site.

The clones that were incharge of throwing clones and Naruto off of the cliff, poofed out of existence once their task had been completed.

* * *

The group that had found a cave in the right-direction of the jungle had assigned one of their number to be their captain. This clone captain split his unit into groups of ten, making it ten groups. He split the first group into two smaller groups, and had one group enter the cave, five minutes later he sent in the second group, five minutes later he sent in a second group of ten, and so on and so forth, until all the groups were walking in the cave exploring, as well as hoping not to encounter the things in the cave on and in the mountain.

The other group of clones that had gone exploring a cave had also assigned a captain, and had gone into their cave in the same manner as their right-directioned counterparts.

The first group encountered nothing until they entered a cavern with holes covering the walls. It looked like what the inside of a bee hive looked like. But unlike a bee hive there was no buzzing. Just lots and lots of silence.

The captain had all the clones regroup. Then he had fifty clones become the recon team, and had them travel the length and bredth of the cavern to see if there was anything of interest, as well as if there were any hidden hostiles. The remaining fifty, inlcluding the captain, would prepare their own little base of operations, by having twenty five of their number run out of the cave and gather some wood and leaves so that they could quickly construct a structure that they would use as their temporary base of operations.

* * *

The other group of cave explorers had also encountered a similar cave, but unlike its counterpart, this one actually had things buzzing in it. It was not an empty cavern that the clones had chanced upon, it was a golden orange cavern filled with giant bees. In the middle of the ceiling was a hole, in which light from the world outside shone into.

The hundred clones and their captain stealthily tried to move out of the cave, but due to the stumbling of one of the clones, the giant bee hive was alerted to their presence.

More and more bees were coming out of the holes in the walls and ceiling, more and more bees were flying in their direction.

Faced with such a situation, the captain thought of only one thing, and he voiced it to his men.

"Attack!" the captain shouted.

His men quickly started whipping out Jutsu upon Jutsu, killing bees left and right, but it seemed like the numbers of the bees never ended. When one died another two would take its place, whereas if a clone died none would take its place.

"Scatter! Go for the holes!" the captain screamed as he was swarmed by bees upon bees, "Just run!"

So the remaining clones pair up quick as they could and ran into the different nearby holes and just run for it. Hoping that wherever they would come out, would be either a safe place, or with friendlies.

Back at the construction site, Naruto was aroused from his meditation by the information being sent to him by the dying clones. The memories made him realize that his clones basically only had Jutsus to defend themselves, he needed more weapons. His katana could not be properly cloned, and each of his clones was armed with only one kunai. He needed to learn how to create weapons and armor of his own.

So he created another army of clones to storm the library, this time in search for the knowledge of smelting, blacksmithing, leatherworking, basically anything and everything that had to do with making weapons and armor.

Following this train of thought, Naruto created yet another army of clones, this time double the number of the last army, these ones to seek out knowledge about how to make clothes, furniture, art, and the like.

Little did he know that the clones he created created more clones, and soon the library was a literal sea of red, not blood, but clones. They were busier than a bee hive.

Some of the other fortress residents found the sight amazing, and sometimes quite helpful, a number of clones around gathering up information took breaks every now and then to aid some of the other library goers in their search for knowledge.

Naruto was able to make friends with some of the other smaller inhabitants of the fortress, like the dwarves, goblins, fairies, and gnomes.

After helping some toilet monsters out, some clones split their chakra stores even more in order to study plumbing, electrical work, and the like.

Some of the clones had already relayed knowledge to Naruto, these were the clones that had finished with studying the basics of the topics they were assigned. An aeons old library worth of knowledge and wisdom was being packed into one young man with the use of his information gathering clone army.

How so many clones and other being could fit into the library was solved when someone realised that it must be due to some weird rule Kyonshi had come up with.

In fact there really was such a rule in existence: 'If the library ever runs out of space, I'll kill myself and take all of you space whores with me'

* * *

In a corner of the library away from all the clones a lone figure was reading an ancient text about cooking recepies. He wore a long sleeved white shirt, and pink pants. His long hair was tied in a loose pony tail.

'_Why am I not surprised that someone would try to fill up my library...'_ he thought to himself while memorizing an old recipe for oatmeal, '_Either he's testing my rules, or he wasn't thinking._'

Beside the reading man, sat a reading fox.

'_**That kid sure has zero logic. Not that it matters in this place**_**'** thought the fox as he too watched the clone army devour knowledge by the page.

* * *

Most of the paired up clones had already succumbed to nonexistence, there was only one pair left, they started to see a light at the end of the tunnel, due to the need to survive, and the want to get away from the bees they used even more chakra to get to the light as fast as possible.

As they finally reached the light one clone pushed the other while saying, "I'll hold 'em off, you warn the other!" The clones having noticed their bretheren in the cavern beyond.

While the lone clone distracted the bees, the other clone after righting himself made a mad dash towards the solid structure that the other clones had created. Once reaching them, he filled them in on what his group had found. As his tale came to a close the bees had finally gotten out of the tunnel they were in, the clone finally dispersing due to running out of chakra.

The clone that told the tale then jumped out of the structure and ran towards the advancing bee army.

"I'll hold 'em off while you guys prepare!" the clone shouted to the other clones.

The one hundred clones who were still running at full capacity, quickly brought out their crudely cloned katanas, and their kunai. Half of the clone army stayed outside their base, while the other half stayed within the walls of their base.

The outside clones started to move into the places where they would start their attack. The inside clones would provide Jutsu support for the clones outside. Not all attacking at the same time, half would rest, while the other would attack.

As the bee army had finally finished off the solo clone, they started to form ranks of their own. They started to appear more intelligent than normal bees. Their hive mind was directing them to act in this unified manner. They had learned not to attack just as they were. The sole clone proved a worthy opponent, therefore they would not underestimate its hundred other brothers.

The bees after gathering in the hundreds had finished forming their ranks, started to buzz even louder than before. Seconds began to tick by, and the buzzing just kept on getting louder.

The clones were starting to get unnerved by the buzzing of the bees, but they would stand their ground, fight, and avenge their fallen comrades.

From the hole in the ceiling above them a figure fell into the cavern, as it hit the ground between the two armies, all hell broke loose.

The bees charged the clones, stingers pointing forward.

The clones charged the bees, katanas and kunai gripped with vice like grips.

The figure that hit the ground between the two charging armies had only one thought in mind.

'_I am so fucked_' this being the last thought that went through its mind before it too joined the world of nonexistence. For the figure that fell into the hole was one of the clones of the group that went off running to who knows where.

The other members of the group of the clone that fell, peered into the hole, and witnessed the beginning of an epic battle.

"Looks like we found something to do" the captain of that group announced.

He then ordered his men to prepare to aid their brothers in battle. In groups of ten they dive bombed the bees with katanas drawn and rasengans spinning.

The bees stood no chance.

After a few more minutes of battling the clones won the battle. The bees had retreated.

But the clones knew, that they had yet to win the war. Those bees seemed smarter than the average insect.

A few more minutes passed. The clones were planning or thinking of what to do with the new situation. They didn't have the numbers to take out the rest of the hive. What were they to do. That giant bee hive was a treasure trove filled with honey.

The bees now aware of their existence would now also try to rid the world of the existence of the clones. It had now become a battle for survival.

But before they could continue with their planning they could hear sounds coming from some of the other holes in the walls. It sounded like running, feet thumping against the earth.

Then suddenly out of one of the hole came a clone, then two, then three, and so forth and so on. Then from the hole in the ceiling came more clones.

As the last clone made its presence known, a buzzing sound could be heard from above. A few seconds later, some of the clones below the hole witnessed several flights worth of giant bees pass above.

"We gotta head back to base. Looks like the bees are planning on hitting where the Boss is" one of the clone captains said.

The clones were in agreement, they would run as fast as they could back to base camp, and inform their creator of the bees, and what they believed the bees were planning.

Not all of clones had survived to reunite with the rest of the clone army, three of the groups had been cut down by the bees. Those winged overgrown insects were ruthless when they wanted to be. One group that took to the trees had encountered the bees, after a short battle which the bees had won, the area was left in ruins, the trees that the clones were standing in had toppled to the ground, the earth itself was scorched.

* * *

It seemed that since the last time that Naruto and his clones were in the area, a bee empire had set itself up as the rulers of that part of the jungle. This was the reason why the clones had not encountered any other form of resistance. Just bees, bees, and more bees. There was room only for one army in this part of the jungle. It was either the Bee Empire, or Naruto's clone army.

The bees of the hive were gathering together in preparation for the first skirmish with their enemy. Their army did not only contain bees, but some other giant insects as well. There was a colony or two of giant wasps, hornets, ants, and mosquitos. There were a number of beetles at the command of the Bees. There were even earthworms that would rival Manda in size. The bees certainly were the rulers of this neck in the woods. Among the giant insects they were at the top of the food chain. The bees did not only have one hive, they had many, they did not only have a colony, they had an empire.

* * *

Just as the insects were making preparations, the clones were also doing the same thing. Naruto after regaining a considerable amount of chakra had created even more clones. He now had over ten thousand clones at his disposal. He created the clones after receiving the report about the insect army and its intentions towards him, and his army.

It had been several hours since the last of his army of scholar clones had relayed knowledge to him. In that time, he and his clones had been able to finish building his outpost. The outpost, was originally designed by Naruto and his clones to be able to house twenty thousand troops.

The outpost was three floors high, with a three layered wall around it just as high. The cliff face was behind it, and a one mile open space between the outpost and the jungle in front of it. Between the walls, there were a few sentry towers. Giving clones a view of the field infront on the outpost. On the cliff face itself, there were some ramparts and walkways for clones to walk or run on.

The clones from the quarry, the lumberyard, and the iron mines, had all returned to base. All of whom were present and accounted for.

Naruto then assigned three thousand of the clones to stand guard atop the walls. The walls too had three floors. The clones on the walls wore armor made out of the metals that were refined, they each carried a single bow, and a quiver filled with arrows, the tips of which had been tempered in chakra enhanced fire, making them extra sharp.

Two thousand of the clones were assigned as pikemen. Each one in armor, and each one carrying a long pike. All two thousand would be lying in wait in treches that around the front of the outpost.

Naruto knew enough about bugs, that their underbelly was one of their weak spots.

On the balconies, and on some of the larger platforms on the cliff face, Naruto had several catapults and ballistas. He had two thousand clones man these things.

Below this outpost Naruto had a three layered defensive wall made out of mined diamond, some of which had been found in the mines, and some of which had been collected from the collapsed cave. This underground defense was made in case anyone or anything were to try and enter via under the ground.

Naruto had one thousand of his clones running around the outpost, running errands, bringing supplies here and there. The massive size of the jungle, there was bound to be a number of fruit trees within it, and luckily some of the security clones had found some, and gathered some fruit.

The remaining two thousand clones were given ordered to dispell their katanas, which they then replaced with broadswords. Each was also given, armor, like the other clones, but in addition to this they were given sheilds.

Before doing anything else, Naruto noticed that even though he had created an army which was armed to the teeth, he had forgotten one important thing. He was a shinobi, and what is a shinobi without his Jutsu. So Naruto then created five thousand more clones. Two thousand of which would be running around doing errands and carrying supplies here and there. While the remaining three thousand would be Jutsu Regiment.

One thousand clones would make up the Katon Battallion. One thousand would make up the Raiton Battallion. One thousand would make up the Suiton Battallion. Each battallion of clones focusing on using that one element in attacking the enemy. Bugs burn, bugs fry, and bugs drown.

Now Naruto was ready to take on an army of bugs. His preparations had finished just in time too, because not a minute later, one of the sentry towers alerted the rest of the base to the approaching insect army.

The sentries counted at least fifty thousand big bugs were in the air, with more than a hundred thousand group troops. The clones were outnumbered slightly more than ten to one.

The preparations made by both armies had lasted for no more than three days, but for Naruto it seemed like a three weeks. Even with all the knowledge and wisdom he had accumulated in that time, he did not believe that he would win the war unscathed.

He would not dwell on such thoughts, what was important was the here and the now. He would fight this battle and win it. He would take down as much of the enemy that he could. His clones would win him the war or die trying. He had enough chakra to create more clones, he had enough chakra to create clone army upon clone army for another week, but he didn't think he would need to go that far, or that he would be able to actually go that far. He may need the chakra reserves for something else, like say attack the enemy with Jutsu after Jutsu.

'_The Toads would love it here. So many bugs for them to eat. Too bad I can't summon any of them!_' he frustatedly thought.

The seconds ticked by, Naruto could not afford to send out his men to fight on the battlefield. He already had the pikemen out there, no need to add more. His clone army waited. The archers waited until just the right moment before they let their arrows fly.

The air and ground troops had just entered the archer and seirge engine firing range. The captain of the archers sounded out his commands.

"Ready!" the archers readied their bows, and drew out their arrows.

"Aim!" the archers knocked their arrows, drew them back, and took aim.

"Steady...steady...wait for it..." the captain said, "FIRE!"

The archers let their arrows fly. "Fire at will men! Fire at will!" the captain shouted, and the archers did just that, the arrows of the captain joining his men.

At the same time the catapults and ballista teams also started firing their weapons. Burning rocks, giant arrows, joined small arrows in flight. All of which successfully hitting home, and downing a target.

Surprisingly the hornets, mosquitos, and wasps, were slower than the bees, and thus had the most number of casulaties. Of the ground troops only around one tenth of them lost their lives. Leaving ninety thousand bugs on the ground to continue marching forward. While in the air even though the other fliers lost a considerable number the bees were still numerous. There were still roughly thirty five thousand bugs in the air flying towards Naruto's outpost.

Naruto had yet to lose any of his clones, he was not going to take any chances in this fight. He signalled to his captain to distract their airborne enemies. The flying bugs must not be able to alert their groud troops to the waiting pikemen.

The clones in charge of the long range weapons had quickly started to reload and fire at a much quicker pace. Aiming for the flying bugs more than the crawling bugs. Half of each of the Jutsu battallions had joined the archers on the walls and were firing off elemental jutsu after elemental jutsu at the flying things. Flights of dragons had taken to the skies and were bombarding the bugs left right and center.

The bees were now suffering more than they were before. Their officers were ordering their ground forces to move faster. Naruto was seriously pissing them off. The clone army was still small in comparison to the Bee's Bug Army. The bees still thought they could win it. But to be on the safe side they called in some reinforcements. The giant bug nobles and royalty arrived a few minutes later to add to already massive bug army.

As the bug army's frontliners reached the pikemen, they died in seconds. The pikemen made short work of the rapidly advancing bugs. Each one raced under bug after bug after bug, shoving their pikes into the softer underbelly of each bug instantly killing each one. Their movements were fluid, as if in a dance, they were each greatly aided with their constant use of chakra to enhance their movement and their death dealing blows.

As more and more of the crawling bugs were killed, the air force started to take notice, and quickly informed the ground commanders of the situation. Which then ordered their troops to slow down and regroup.

The Pikemen noticing that something was off, began to regroup and retreat back towards the outpost.

After regrouping the bug army had seemingly doubled in size, now there were more than one hundred bugs making up the air force, and slightly more than two hundred bugs on the ground. The two groups then started their trek together at a moderate pace.

AS the bugs got within firing range, the archers, catapults, and ballistas let them have it. Wave upon wave of flying death rained down upon the bugs, which just ignored them and kept moving forwards.

Naruto noticed this, and ordered for the gates to be opened, and for all available troops to engage the enemy. If the enemy planned on making this war a one battle war, Naruto would give them a battle that they would remember in their afterlives.

Joining his clones outside the walls, he unsheathed his two blades, his katana with the flowing blood design, and his slightly longer than normal kunai.

Facing the direction of the enemy, his voice rang throughout the battlefield, and was heard by all his clones, "ATTACK!" Then as one they charged. Weapons drawn and Jutsus ready to be unleashed.

Then as one, bug met clone, army met army, and the battle that raged was a fierce one.

Bugs impaled, bit, ate, slashed at, speared, burned, dismembered, vaporised clone after clone after clone, while the clones did the same to the bugs as well. The clones were given a chakra boost by the original which allowed them to live through more blows than they originally could.

Naruto like his clones just kept on cutting, slashing, and stabbing his way throuh the bug army, his goal was not the generals, but the queens. He was accompanied by several of the broadsword wielding, shield carrying clones, who helped defend him as he made his way to the head of the overgrown pest army.

The battle raged on for hours, the bugs only reaching the pikemen's trenches, but being unable to move any further.

While Naruto plowed his way through wave upon wave of bugs, seemingly limitless in number, never seeming to get any closer to his target.

'_Shino is gonna kill me if he ever finds out about this.._' he absently thinks to himself.

The massive concentration of killing intent, of blood, guts, and gore, and the numbers of bugs in the area had also attracted some other larger than life species of predators who also joined into the fray, tearing bugs limb from limb and feasting upon their remains.

Some of the clones having to band together in order not to get killed by these other hulking meat eaters.

In the sky flocks of predators like the rocs, eagles, hawks, and other flying things enter the skies of the battefield, taking out scores of the flying pests.

The war between two armies had become a massive free for all. Or a war between three armies. On one side there was Naruto and his clone army, fighting for survival against the overgrown pests and the hunger driven predators. Then there was the Bee's Bug Army, fighting for survival as well. Lastly the predator army merely fighting for the abundance of food, and for the heck of it, a large number of whom were just being controlled by their bloodlust, brought about by the environment.

* * *

Up above the massive brawl, within the confines of his study, Kyonshi witnessed the war. Gazing at the battlefield making use of his inhuman sight. While at the same time eating some caramel flavored popcorn.

Touken doing the same, but silently and secretly wishing he too could join the fray.

* * *

Naruto had finally broken through the bug army, and was now face to face with the queens that ruled the Bee empire. Queen bees, queen ants, wasps, hornet, you name it Naruto faced it. If the bug species had a queen, it was staring down Naruto at that moment.

The Queens thought that they had already won, and that the little thing infront of them was of no consequence, what could one tiny insect do to them. In their still underevolved minds, nothing.

"Fuck it" Naruto just said as powered himself up using chakra and just made minced meat out of the Queens, then he and his clones reentered the fray to make paste out of the remnants of the bug army.

* * *

It had been two whole weeks since he first woke up in the fortress infirmary. It had been three days since the his little war with the animal kingdom took place. It had been two days since he had cleaned up the mess the war had made. It had also been just one day since he had finished sealing up all of his new trophies and treasures.

He now houses an army of twenty thousand clones in his outpost at the base of what he has deemed as his cliff.

He has also, with the use of his clones, been able to fully explore one percent of the jungle, which is approximately five hundred thousand square miles worth of dense jungle.

He has also been able to, again with the aid of his clones, constructed another nine outposts just as spacious as his base of operations. Each additional outpost housing twenty thousand more clones each, with enough supplies, armor, and weapons to last for more than three years.

The land in which Kyonshi ruled over seemed to have unlimited resources.

* * *

Naruto was presently at the very edge of the jungle, where trees met with sand. The massive desert that circled the jungle was Naruto's next frontier.

With all the construction work he and his clones had been doing, Naruto had learned more than what he used in before and during his little war. He now knew how to create carts, and the like.

He had also been able to tame some twenty five giant scorpions, these he would use to pull his caravan of one hundred carts across the sandy seas. He fancied himself as a modern day explorer. Accompanying him was his usual one thousand clones. Presently he also had five thousand clones scour the library for all useful information about the desert and all it possible and some improbable inhabitants.

So today he began his trek into the sandy unknown. He knew that there was a forest at the other side of the sandy sea, and beyond that a fog hiding another great unknown. He would discover it all. But first he had to get across the desert.

Twenty five of his carts were filled with supplies, most of which had preservation jutsus placed on them.

Along with the scorpions, Naruto had also managed to tame twenty five giant spiders, with which his clones used as mounts. These two bugs he had found living at the edge of the desert. Contrary to what the books told him, these two bugs were actually omnivores, they ate anything, literally. They could survive on sand, should Naruto actually forget to have them fed, they would just suck up some of the surrounding sand.

Each of the giant bugs were able to carry up to forty clones on their backs, plus some other heavier stuff. Each of the bugs carried at least ten clones on its back. The rest of the clones, including Naruto walked.

The spiders and their riders were assigned to being the perimeter guards. With the walking clones being the next line of defense. The cart caravan being in the middle of these two defenses.

After twenty four hours of travelling Naruto and company, came upon an oasis, one the size of Konoha. It was the perfect place to build another outpost in. So Naruto and his clones used the materials they could find to construct another outpost.

With the aid of the sand scorpions and the sand spiders, Naruto and his clone army was able to procure some rocks from below all the sand. Apparently the oasis was situated on the highest rock formation that could be found in the middle of the desert. It was a massive plateau which was situated at the top of a tower of solid rock, that went downward, below the sand for miles. The rocks that the tamed mounts had brought to the surface were not regular rocks but marble, and diamond. The water-diamond paradox would have no meaning in this place, seeing as the amount of water was lesser compared to the amount of diamonds that Naruto could find.

The basic skeleton and the outer walls of the outpost would be made out of diamond, while the insides, would be made out of the black, and the white marble. One wall would be built at the edge of the oasis. Another would be build just at the edge of the lake in the middle of the oasis. And the building itself would be built in the middle of the oasis. It would have four floors in total. One of which would be underwater. With the use of some Katon Jutsus the desert sands would be turned into glass. Due to the abundance of water in the oasis, Naruto would be able to grow a few fields worth of crops. And aside from the glass that would be used for windows and the like, Naruto would have his clones create glassware as well as glass sculptures and the like. He would make the most out of everything he learned and had. Nothing was to be wasted.

The building of his desert outpost had taken Naruto three whole days. Afterwhich he set out into the desert again, in search of the where the sands once again met the trees.

On his fifth day atop the desert sands Naruto saw in the distance something that did not resemble more sand, it looked more like a tree line, one similar to the tree line that could be seen from the sand of Kaze no Kuni, when looking at the direction of Hi no Kuni.

Naruto estimated that he was a day or two away from the forest.

* * *

The desert even though it looked dead on the surface was teaming with life below the sands, as Naruto had found out when some of his clones atop one of the scorpions had dived below the sands to see the various creatures living below the surface of the sandy sea.

Naruto and his clones had, after that experience, taken to sketching the different creatures, they even attempted to catalog all that they came across. Due to all the sand diving that Naruto and his clones did, Naruto could now hold his breath for longer than thirty minutes, and that time was still lengthening.

But among all the creatures that Naruto and his clone had encountered, there was one that he did not wish to encounter ever again. It was something that he had dubbed as a lesser dragon, since he did not see any of its kind at anytime within the halls of the fortress. To differentiate this lesser dragon from any other that he might encounter in the future, Naruto named its species as the SandFish. It was roughly eighty feet long, with a pair of limbs near its obviously draconish head. It was light brown in color, which allowed itself to blend in with the sands. It had three long fins on its back, the tip of its tail resembling the tail of a shark. Its two paws, had some really sharp claws on them. Naruto and company had witnessed the SandFish cleave a SandWhale into two. A SandWhale resebled a Killer Whale except it was all white and the biggest one Naruto had encountered was fifty feet long.

Before moving forward toward the visible tree line, the entire caravan stopped moving. The scorpions and the spiders had suddenly ceased all movement. This was a sign that a predator was around, or some where near. The best way to alert any desert dwelling predator to one's presence was movement. All denizens of the deep sandy sea were very sensitive to the vibrations in the sand. As the sands shifted, everything for miles could feel the shift. Predator and prey alike could tell the difference between the varying shifts in the sands. Due to the stiffening of the spiders and scorpions, whatever was below the sandy seas at the moment was definitely not a friendly.

Off in the distance Naruto and company saw a pod consisting of over two hundred individual SandWhales moving through the sands at a really fast pace, as if something was chasing them.

A clone had spotted what had had their mounts so spooked, and the whales moving at such speeds. Not far behind, as Naruto too noticed, were five of the biggest SandFish as Naruto had ever seen, each one reaching at least ninety feet in length. One wrong move on their part, and one of those monsters would be after Naruto and his group. There was no way that Naruto or his pets could outrun one of those beasts. Even with the aid of chakra.

The pod in the distance was getting smaller by the second, either they were getting killed, or they were getting farther. After around twenty minutes, the pod had and the chasing dragons had disappeared completely.

It was a close call for Naruto and his party. Once the mounts had calmed down, they moved onwards.

* * *

On the sixth day that Naruto was on the sandy sea, he and his party finally reached the forest, where they were was not yet very dense. So they decided to rest. It was still morning. They didn't need to go anywhere. So they set up camp, and let their mounts wander around.

During the afternoon, Naruto and some of the clones went sand diving not too far from their camp. When suddenly Naruto felt a clone go poof. In its last moments it gazed into the darkness that was the inside of the jaws of a monster. Naruto then quickly alerted his clones and their mounts to move as quickly as they could towards the camp, and as far away from the sand as they could.

He didn't believe that the lack of sand would stop the monster, but he was sure that it would slow it down, long enough for them to escape.

Most of his companions had made it into the forest, but five scorpions and five spiders had yet to reach the relative safety of the trees. The monster was gaining on them, their riders had mostly already jumped off to stall for time. But the speed at which the monster was travelling, their efforts had only caused the monster to become angried. Due to this added feeling of rage, its movements quickened.

Naruto and the remaining clones, made a quick decision, they would try and stall the monster, and possibly kill it.

Three fourths of the clones set out to carry the spiders and the scorpions to safety, using chakra, they were able to make it to more moist land. Naruto and the rest of the clones faced off against the beast. Showering its hide with Katon and Suiton Jutsus, the fire to try and glassify the sand, and water to turn the sand into mud, and hope fully slow it down. Naruto moved back a bit aways from the oncoming dragon. He knew that the beast would destroy his clones, but there was always one thing that had saved him and his clones countless times. There was one technique that he knew would not fail him, he just needed time to make it bigger.

The SandFish had just destroyed all his attacking clones, then it pounced, crashing into a massive spinning ball of blue.

"**Oodama Rasengan!**" Naruto shouted as he thrust the ball forward shredding the dragon in the process.

The beast was too large to be thrown back, but it was not tough enough to survive such an onslaught.

Before any scavengers could get to the body Naruto sealed it up in a storage scroll, all ten feet wide, ninety feet tall of it was sealed in a scroll.

* * *

After resting for the remainder of the week, Naruto and the remaining seven hundred fifty clones and their mounts, began their trek through the dense forest. Surprisingly, they did not encounter anything out of the ordinary, instead, they had encountered some bears that were of normal size, the only thing not normal about them was that they traveled in groups, not like the solitary animals that Naruto knew them to be. Naruto and company had even encountered a mixture of lions, tigers, leopards, all the big cats were travelling together in one pride. For two days Naruto and company had walked with the group of predators, when he and they chanced upon a mighty herd of buffalo and wildebeast. It looked like some sort of annual migration or something. There were enough of the things to feed all the predators he had seen on in his journey and then some.

Naruto and company had even joined in on the frenzy that followed the discovery. Kunai and Katana drawn, seven hundred fifty one Narutos, twenty five spiders, and twenty five scorpions charged the group herd of herbivors. At the end of the day, there were only fourty nine clones left, but the spiders and the scorpions were complete, and Naruto was obviously still among the living.

After parting ways with his predator pals, Naruto and the remainder of his party made their way to where Naruto knew he would find his final destination, the dense fog.

At the end of the month, they had finally made it, Naruto had reached the more or less end of the world, sort of. This end of the world bit only entered his head when he found out that the fog covered a cliff, whose bottom was really far away.

* * *

Just as Naruto turned around to start his journey back to the fortress, he was stopped by the sight before him. Sitting on the cloud like fog was Kyonshi, and beside him Touken.

Kyonshi pointed one finger in Naruto's direction and said, "Sit."

Naruto promptly sat on a chair made of clouds.

"About my question, what is your answer?" Kyonshi asked.

"What was the question again?"

"Would you like to be my new apprentice?"

"Do I really have to answer now?"

"Yes."

"What sorts of limitations would I have as you apprentince?"

"You will know of them after you have answered my question."

"I...Can I please have more time?"

"Nope."

"**Let me talk to him for a bit, I might be able to get him to decide**" Touken whispered to Kyonshi.

"Fine" he whispered back, then told Naruto that he would have til sundown, which was an hour away.

Touken walked over to Naruto, and sat down infront of him.

"**You have grown fast in this land. You have also learned many thing. Yes?**" he asked Naruto.

"Yes, I think I have."

"**You have made friends among the being here as well. Yes?**"

"Yes, I have."

"**You have worked hard here. Yes?**"

"Yes, I have. I always do. No matter where I am."

"**You have grown stronger, smarter, wiser, and more. All just by being here.**"

"Yeah, I guess I have. So what's your point?"

"**The Master created this place we are in, along with many of the things within it.**"

"I kinda figured as much."

"**Think, if you were to learn from him, think of how much more you could gain.**"

"..."

"**Once upon a time I merely had eight tails. There were many of us. None thought they could attain a ninth. But with the Master's help, I gained my ninth, and so much more.**"

"I..."

"**You only have a few minutes of sun left. Think about it. If he could create all of this...just think about the possibilities. I was in a way trained and created by him. All nine of us were. I the most powerful of the nine, the one that even the Shinigami could not completely slay. If he could help me become that, think of what he could help you do.**"

After hearing that Naruto made up his made and faced Kyonshi.

"What was the question again?"

"Would you like to be my new apprentice?"

"Let me think about it...I still have a few seconds of sun left."

"Alright...5...4...3...2...1...what is your answer."

"You got yourself an Apprentice Zombie-sensei!"

Kyonshi then whacks Naruto on the head, "I told you I am NOT an animated corpse! Its Kyonshi not zombie. Get it right!"

"Hehe. Uhm," Naruto said while raising his hand.

"This is not a classroom, ask your question."

"I found an oasis, when from up on the roof there didn't appear to be any of those in sight. Why is that?"

"Simple. Illusions. Something you suck at. Which will be one of the first thing I will be teaching you. Lets face it you may have the imagination for it, but your chakra control plainly sucks. A duck could make better Genjutsu as compared to you. A duck could make better Genjutsu than you even if you had Touken to help you. As far as Kitsune go, the only thing he's actually good at is transformation."

"**Hey! Thats low, real low!**"

Kyonshi does not deem that statement worthy of an answer and therefore just kicked Touken in the direction of the fortress.

"Zombie-sensei, that was low, real low."

"Shall I kick you too?"

"Nope."

"Good. Your training with me shall start in one month's time. Meet me in my office by then. Its the first door to your left after entering the main doors. You can't miss it," Kyonshi said before walking off into the fog.

As Naruto watches his new sensei walk off, he can't help but hear a creepy voice say, "I'm gonna milk those spy clones for all their worth..Naruto'll rue the day he learned the words: Kage Bushin no Jutsu."

Naruto then turned to his traveling companions, "I'm screwed, aren't I?"

"Yeah, pretty much," his clones answered. The spiders and scorpions just bobbed their heads up and down.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 5**

It had been two months since Master and Apprentice had gone their separate ways. It had been one month since Jiraiya had really lost his apprentice. It had been one month since Jiraiya had heard of the feat of heroism that his apprentice had accomplished at that one port town that declared Naruto as one of their heroes.

News traveled fast especially since the news originated from a port town. It may have only been a month since the incident, but more than one forth of the Elemental Continent had heard of Naruto's bravery, of course the tale had been altered countless times, that the only way to get the true story was to travel all the way to the port town.

Taking a break from his research, as well as his search for his student, Jiraiya could be found just walking along one of the many busy streets in a city in An no Kuni. The street he was walking on was one of many in the city's commercial district.

He was window shopping, hoping to find something that might placate his Hokage, and help him avoid being turned into just another hole in the wall, or worse. He had yet to perform his duty as a Shinobi of Konoha by reporting the loss of his student to his immediate superior. He would admit that he was afraid of her reaction, he was afraid for his life. He was also afraid of what might happen should anyone else find out about the brat's disappearance. The Akatsuki would jump at the chance to capture the Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki, since Jiraiya would not be there to protect him, wherever he may be.

An no Kuni was luckily or unluckily, depending on how one were to look at it, one of the countries that had yet to hear of Naruto's deeds in that one port town in Kaminari no Kuni. There were a number of blonde haired, blue eyed youths in the city, and the rest of the country for that matter, but none that the pervert had encountered sported those uniquely Naruto whisker marks on their faces.

He even had his spy network keep a look out for Naruto, hoping that one of his spies or contacts might find him. So far there had been no luck. There were no trails or leads as to the whereabouts of his student. There were no clues as to where he could be aside from the fact that some black clad unknown individual had taken Naruto away to recover.

It had only been a month, but Jiraiya was already starting to lose faith in the possibility of ever finding his student. He knew it was foolish to think of such a thing, but he if even his spies and contacts couldn't find anything, he doubted that no one else could.

At least he had that going for him, if he couldn't find his student, much more the Akatsuki, but to be one the safe side it would be best not to alert that organization to the reality that the master had absolutely no clue as to where his apprentice was presently at.

After thinking of such things, the Super Pervert returned to his window shopping. He had already passed by several shops selling some imported and local sake. But those didn't seem to appeal to him. He didn't think that they were either cheap enough to buy in bulk, or strong enough to down the drinking powerhouse that was his former teammate.

He had also passed several jewelry stores, none of their wares having any appeal to him as well. His Hokage did not seem to be the kind of woman who was into those kind of material things.

He had even passed by several debt collectors, of whom his formerly bustless Kage still owed money to, and even though he could pay off those debts he didn't think that his Kage would care about it.

It seemed that no matter what he saw, he couldn't find anything that could help him in his quest not to get killed by the Godaime Hokage.

He continued his trek through the streets of the commercial district, there might still be something that could help him. He knew that eventually his conscience would get him to go back to Konoha to report that he had lost his charge. Even though the manner in which he had lost his charge was filled with things beyond his control, he was one of the Densetsu no Sannin for crying out loud. He could have used so much more things in his fight against those nuke-nin, as well as against those abominations, but he did, or rather wasn't able to, it all caught him by surprise.

But those were just excuses, he could have done so much more. He could have moved faster, he could have helped his student more. He could have been there when he was needed most, well not most but needed nonetheless.

He regretted leaving his student to travel the world alone for one month, even if it was necessary, he could have found another way to further investigate that lead that ended in a dead end.

As a teacher he was a disgrace, half the time he had left his student to figure things out on his own. He merely left some scrolls for his student to learn from when he left him on his own.

He could have at least taught his student the training trick with Kage Bushin. But no, he didn't he prioritized his research over the well being of his charge, his student, his godson, of Naruto. He had neglected Naruto for most of his life. Never checking up on him during his nonexistent childhood. Never being there when it mattered. He was a disgrace, not just as a teacher, but also as a human being. He had been there for many other people, other people that wouldn't really matter, but for the one person that did matter, that should have mattered, he was absent, his existent in Naruto's life was an empty void that would never, no matter what he would try to do, would never ever be filled. His past actions were a stain on his very soul. There was no way that the past would be able to be redone, there may be no way to change the past. If there were, all the what ifs in his life would be what was's. If he could change the past, maybe Naruto would have been stronger, strong enough to not have needed any medical attention after defeating those monsters that had attacked the port town. If he had taken his responsibility as a teacher more seriously, maybe he wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe he wouldn't be window shopping for a possible bribe, a way to cheap the agonizing death that awaited him back in Konohagakure no Sato.

Jiraiya's thoughts kept returning back to depressing and regret filled thoughts, they kept going back into the past, they kept reverting that he was unable to keep a firm hold on the present, on the all important now. His connection to reality was so frayed, that he did no notice that he was walking in the direction of something that would haunt his dreams for days to come, until it was too late.

Jiraiya had the chance that not many had the chance to do. He had slipped on some mud in the road and bumped into another passing traveller, and they tumbled to the ground ending up with the guy lying on his back with Jiraiya's face on his crotch.

All activity around the duo immediately stopped, and everyone around them stared. Mothers then quickly covered the eyes of their children, men were disgusted, and single women just stared in disbelief.

The man whose crotch Jiraiya's face was planted on, quite slowly got out of his shocked state. Jiraiya on the otherhand had passed out. He was unconscious. Some of the people who would later bring him to the hospital would then forever think of him as a yaoi addict who had finally attained one of his life's dreams. The thought of his passing out being due to shock and disgust would never ever cross their minds.

Jiraiya of the Sannin, the Gama Sennin, would forever be remembered in that city, not as a Super Pervert, but as a yaoi-man. In that one city, his reputation would be equal to that of his male former teammate, whatever that reputation may be. But the point is, that if he would ever in the future return to that city, and he entered the red light district, he would be met with men, and not women. If he should ever try to approach a woman there, he would be treated with pity, and they would try to get him out of his shy shell. The world in a forgiving place sometimes, they would encourage him to not hide his real sexuality from the rest of the world. He should not be ashamed.

* * *

Three days after that incident, Jiraiya woke up from his man's-crotch-to-his-face coma. He gave a fake name to the doctor in charge of him, the name he gave for record keeping's sake being Otokonaki Kenage, meaning unmanly weeping; manly, an oxymoron, but that was the only thing the moron could think up on such short notice.

He left the city on that same day, hoping against all hope that they wouldn't remember him, but sadly for him that was one wish that would never come true. But at least his books would still sell in that part of the world, seeing as no one there would ever know that it was he that wrote those books.

His next destination was anywhere but that city. He decided to run like mad away from that city in a random direction til he fainted from exhaustion. Unfortunately his stamina allowed him to run for days on end, he finally fainted four days later in front of the gate of the former Tanigakure no Sato in the heart of Tani no Kuni.

* * *

A week later of unhindered rest Jiraiya woke up in an unfamiliar room. His shinobi insticts instantly kicking in. He found his clothes on a trunk at the foot of the bed that he was lying in. He quickly put his clothes on, he even found all his things intact and in the room with him. After fixing himself up, he stealthily left the room in search of whomever had brought him to wherever he was at.

Sometime later after arriving at several dead ends, Jiraiya found himself in some kind of kitchen. Everything in it was arranged in such a way that Jiraiya ended up wondering if he was standing on a wall or the ceiling and not on the floor. Once the confusion overrode his instincts he did the only thing he could think of doing, he found a chair and sat down.

Moments later a woman wearing an orange kimono with white clouds on it entered the kitchen. She had long brown hair that reached her lower back. On her heart shaped face, she had light green eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth with light pink lips. She also sported a rosy complextion.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" she exclaimed after noticing Jiraiya sitting in the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah...uhm..." he said after hearing the exclamation.

"I found you at the gate of this village. By the way, welcome to Tanigakure no Sato."

"I apologize if I was a burden to you, I guess I shouldn't have just ran like I did."

"Ran? Ran from what? There aren't that many bandits and the like around these parts."

"Something happened in a city far from here. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh."

"Uhm...I'm Myobyoku Jiraiya by the way, in case you didn't know."

"Oh! Right! Sorry, where are my manners. I'm Gizensha Kiyomi. Nice to meet you."

"So, how long was I out for? I know I've been out of it for days."

"Uhm...around a week. You must have really been tired."

"Yeah. I guess," he paused for a moment thinking, "You live alone?"

"For now. The rest of my family left a long time ago. I'm the only person you'll find in the village actually."

"What? Why?"

"For one thing, its my home, I grew up here. Thats why I'm reluctant to leave."

"Oh."

"But I get visitors every now and then."

"Ah, I thought you were trying to be a sennin or something. He he."

"I doubt Ikkaku would like that," she laughed out, "Jiraiya if you don't mind me asking, but what are you planning on doing now that you've awoken?"

"Me?" he paused, "I plan on going somewhere else, sort of, nothing against you or anything like that, its just that there is someone I need to find."

"Oh? Someone you need to find? I know someone who can help you."

"Really, how can this person help me? I doubt he'd know the person I was looking for."

"It wouldn't matter to him. He has a knack for finding things or people. The only thing he can't find is his memory."

"So he has amnesia or something?"

"Something like that. He'll be coming by tomorrow, he always comes on a monday for some reason."

"Oh, if you say so. I'll stay for awhile then."

Moving towards the refrigirator that was on the ceiling Kiyomi opened the fridge door and took out some food.

"You must be starving. As much as I enjoy talking, I haven't eaten since breakfast, and its been two hours past noon," she said, moving towards the stove, she placed the food in pots and pans on top of it, "This will only take a second," the stove wouldn't start, "Or two...or three..."

"Uh..." Jiraiya didn't know what to do in a situation like the one he was in. But before he could do anything, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Kiyomi! I brought you and your patient some grub! The stove is still busted remember!" was what the voice that interrupted Jiraiya's thoughts said.

The voice belonged to a young man who seconds later entered the kitchen. He had spiky blonde hair, and blue eyes. He had two red tear-shaped tatoos below his eyes. He was wearing an orange and black shirt, with a red vest over it, as well as a pair of purple pants, and slippers.

"Haru! I thought you weren't due back til tomorrow, with Mikio. Where is he by the way?"

"Ah, eh, uhm..." Haru turned from his position in the doorway and faced Jiraiya, "Hey, uhm, the name's Asahi Haru," he held out his hand which the Super Pervert shook, "Nice ta meetcha."

"Nice to meet you too," Jiraiya said standing, "I'm Jiraiya."

"I know, I own all your books. Although I wouldn't talk about that now. Since well," gesturing towards Kiyomi, "She's likely to kill us."

"You sure? I mean, she's been alone in this place with just me for the week. I'm not so confident my honor is still intact."

"Yeah, I see your point. She is kinda known for doing that kind of thing" Haru says while adopting a thinking pose.

"Hey!" Kiyomi shouts indignantly and throws a pot at Haru, "That was only one time! Wait til I get my hands on you!"

"You want me now?" Haru said after dodging the pot, "I didn't know you were into younger men."

"I'm not!" she momentarily paused, "I'm still into older men, like Jiraiya over there," she rantingly pointed at Jiraiya, "I'm not into scrawny pipsqueaks like you!"

"I really was violated?!!"

"NO!" she shouts at both males.

"Whoa. I never seen her this flustered or irritable before," Haru told Jiraiya.

"Hey, hey, hey, how bout we forget this part of the conversation and move onto the food? Savvy?" Jiraiay said trying to placate Kiyomi, and suceeding.

"Fine," facing towards Haru with a spatula in hand, "I'm warning you."

"Alright alright, I give, I give. I'll stop. Ok. I get it. You're not into me, but into older men!"

Haru was then promptly answered with a spatula to his head and lots of pots and pans battering his body.

Jiraiya just watching the proceedings thanking all the gods of all religions that for once, he was not the one on the receiving end of such a beating.

* * *

The next day the three residents of Tanigakure no Sato awoke to the sounds of someone fooling around in the kitchen. Walking towards the kitchen, while somehow partly getting lost in the house, all three arrived to the sight of one light-blue haired young man, wearing a grey shirt and dark green pants, with an apron tied around his waist, bent over a working stove, making breakfast.

"Mikio!" both Kiyomi and Haru shouted surprised.

Mikio turned around to face them, eye smiled, and went back to what he was doing.

"Hey, tree trunk man! Turn around and greet Kiyomi's boyfriend!" Haru shouted.

Faster than lightning Mikio turned around and flung an empty pot at Haru, which was too fast to dodge.

"Hello author of the Icha Icha series. If you hurt Kiyomi I will do to you what Namikaze Minato did to the Iwa-nins and the Kyuubi. I will also inform your village leader that you are short one student," then he went back to his cooking.

"Jiraiya-kun," Kiyomi sweetly said, "Start running Super Pervert," one hand brandishing a zanbatou, the other holding a rusty spork, "You too Haru."

Both men swiftly ran in panic for safety, and the continued presence of that which makes them men, Kiyomi hot on their heels.

Once breakfast was served and all everyone was gathered around the dinning table Jiraiya decided he wanted his thirst for answers quenched.

"So, Mikio," he began, "How'd you know about my student?"

"Someone whispered it in my ear."

"Come again?"

"I hear voices, he tells me things. Also this is the first time that I am able to help anyone."

"What do you mean Miki-kun?" Kiyomi asked.

"Yeah Mikio, whatcha mean?" Haru also asked.

"The voice is silent. Either it doesn't know where he is, or it cannot say where he is. I'm sorry I couldn't help you," he said to Jiraiya.

"Oh well, thanks anyway, even though I haven't asked for your help yet, eheh."

"The voice also says that your spy network will not bear any notable fruit until your three year training trip has ended."

"How do you..?" Jiraiya started to say but was interrupted by Mikio.

"The voice knows many things. Also it says that if I travel with you, in search of your student, I might be able to find that which I have been searching for since the days of the last Great Shinobi War."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kiyomi says waving her hands around, "You just got here and you're making plans of leaving already?"

"No, the voice just says that I should travel with Ero-sennin over here," he gestures towards Jiraiya, "thats all."

"Ero-sennin?," Haru scrunches up his face, "I like it! From now on you," pointing at Jiraiya, "are hereby dubbed Ero-sennin! Yeah!" Haru proclaims while rising from his seat and posing dramatically for added effect.

"Ero-sennin, if we were to call you by this title, then it will deter other women from trying to steal your heart and money. They will think twice before trying to get into your pants, as well as your wallet," Mikio stated.

"Ya see, we're just looking out for your wellbeing, as well as that of Kiyomi's. Personally I'd love to see what Mikio would do to you should you do something to upset Kiyomi irreparably," Haru added.

"Yes. Kiyomi's last boyfriend suffered at my hands before I allowed him to flee into the waiting arms of the Shinigami."

"Guys!" Kiyomi said, "Stop scaring Jiraiya! He's not my boyfriend!"

"The voice agrees with my when I say that it does not matter what you say now. History has proven itself countless times, when Haru says that someone is your love interest, that person is your love interes. Whether you like it or not," Mikio pointing at Jiraiya continued, "This Super Pervert already has it in his head that you are someone he would love to peek on at the onsen. You are someone he would love to include in the next issue of his adult book series. You are also someone who has seen him in his birthday suit," Mikio then pointed at Kiyomi, "The facts stand against you, accept your fate! You are fated to either end up as his wife or willing sex slave, witness as I hand him a fate worse than death."

Mikio then went back to eating, while Kiyomi, Haru, and Jiraiya were staring slackjawed at what Mikio had just said and done.

Haru was happy.

Kiyomi knew that Mikio knew things.

Jiraiya, couldn't make up his mind on what to think after that proclaimation.

Shortly after they got out of their respective stupors, they continued their meal.

At the end of the day, Kiyomi went to bed, Haru vanished in a pink flash to go sleep wherever he slept when he was in the village, and Mikio just slept while standing upside-down on a tree branch outside the village.

Jiraiya on the otherhand was struck by a sudden realization. Haru and Mikio looked like people he should know. If not know, then they were dead ringers for people he did know. Haru resembled two people he had interacted with or rather taught at some point in time, while Mikio looked like someone he knew from the war. Thankfully Kiyomi was someone knew, if she had looked like someone he had met previously he would have freaked out.

The only thing that crossed his mind as weird was that Mikio had a voice that knew more or less everything. He thought that there were only four people in an entire hidden village never crossing his mind.

* * *

In one of the many rooms in a fortress whose location was still unknown a being with a hundred eyes smiled. His friend was on the road to recovery. He may have a hundred eyes, but that didn't mean he didn't see everything. Some of the things about Jiraiya, he got from his blonde friend during meal time. The other thing he knew from his vast spy network. He believed that nothing bad would come out of his slight manipulation of events. He just hoped that the being who was Kiyomi's father figure didn't find out that he, Hyakume, had set Kiyomi up with a Super Pervert.

'_Tch, yeah right, like I could keep a secret from Him. Well here's hoping,_' he thought hoping and praying that that being never found out, and if He did, then Hyakume better be in either the presence of Touken, or his blonde friend, '_I'm still nine hundred eyes short, I'm too young to die!_'

* * *

The quartet continued to stay in the village for another week before they all left it in search for Naruto, Mikio's memories, adventure, and a way for Jiraiya and Kiyomi to get together. But unfortunately for all for, the journey was going to be a long one. Jiraiya only hoped that he wouldn't go insane from the way Mikio spoke and acted, he also hoped that Mikio wouldn't kill him, that Kiyomi would allow him to write and sell his books, and that Haru would stop calling him Ero-sennin.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 6**

It had been only two weeks since Kyonshi had instructed Naruto to be in his office to start his apprentiship. This also left Naruto with only two weeks left to do as he pleased. Which is why Naruto was somewhere in the middle of the desert surrounded by two thousand clones, fifty giant spiders, and fifty giant scorpions, all of whom were constructing an oil rig. The blue prints and such were found by some of Naruto's scholar clones in the library. Those clones were also reading up about health, hygiene, and the culinary arts.

Due to originally being able to tame twenty five giant spiders and scorpions, Naruto had also managed to tame an additional twenty five more of each species. Which in effect made travelling a whole lot easier. It also made discovering new things a whole lot easier.

The scorpions and spiders had discovered a large deposit of black gold, which Naruto decided he wanted. So he created two thousand clones to help him get it, as well as two thousand scholar clones to find out how to get the thing.

Naruto needed so two thousand clones at the construction site due to half doing the actual construction, one fourth running back to the desert outpost for supplies and material, and one fourth defending the site from invading animals, creatures, beasts, and those pesky SandFish.

Apparently the spiders could spin some really tough silk. Depending on the spider the silk would either be hard as steel or as silky as, well, silk. As for the scorpions, those stingers of their and pinchers were good for cutting things and poking holes into things. The poison that they could secrete out of the tip of their tails had different properties depending on what the scorpion needed. It could be as clear and harmless as water, and it could also be as corrosive as acid, for some reason the scorpion was one of the only things that was unaffected by it, the other thing was diamond, and the last thing was anything coated in chakra. Chakra enhanced water is also the only thing that could get rid of the stuff.

It had taken the whole day, but in the span of that day the rig was completed and operational. It was held up above the sandy sea by lots of really thick glass pillars.

Due to boredom, some of the scholar clones had further researched Fuuinjutsu, the art of seals. With this knowledge, and through trial and error, clones were so useful, Naruto was able to place a number of seals on the oil tanks and barrels to allow more space within, as well as to make sure that nothing bad happens to the containers as well as that which was contained.

After the completion of the oil rig, Naruto once more set out into the desert accompanied by the original twenty five scorpions and twenty five spiders, as well as fifty clones. They headed in the direction of the jungle. Their goal was to actually find a swamp. A big one.

* * *

After running for three days Naruto and company arrived at the edge of the jungle. Once there Naruto created two more clones. He had all his companions split into two groups. Each group would go in a separate direction in search of a swamp. When a group found one, one of the clones would dispel itself, to relay the location to Naruto who would then instruct the other group via chakra link to go wherever the swamp was located.

Naruto would be the only member of group three, he too would be looking for a swamp.

Three hours later Naruto came across the other two groups, for some reason they had come across the same swamp, but luckily they had found different things in the parts they were close to.

Group one found not only swamp water, but also quicksand. Group two had found not only swamp water but also several tar pits, luckily none of their rides had fallen in. Naruto on the otherhand had just found the swamp, he landed in the water atfter missing the branch of the next tree he was aiming for.

They found the swamp. So Naruto created a thousand more clones. He split them up into ten groups. Group one would be incharge of contruction. Group two would be in charge of transport. Group three would be in charge of catching the fish in the swamp. Group four would be in charge of gathering the tar from the pits. Group five would be in charge of gathering the quicksand. Group six would be in charge of taming any giant antlions, that group five might encounter. Group seven would be in charge of site security. Group eight would be in charge of transport security. Group nine would be in charge of walling up, or fencing off the swampland. Group ten would be in charge of adding seals to the walls, seals that would help in the defense of the swampland from tresspassers, and other things.

Along with the oil rig reseach, the scholar clones had researched about swamps, this fascination was brought about by Naruto's connection to the Gama clan. The quicksand was just a thing some of the clones came across, and the tar was just something that looks cool. The information about the antlion, was gathered when Naruto was preparing for his Bug War.

Naruto's plan was to turn the swampland into fish ponds, a fish farm of sorts. Realizing that he knew nothing about fish, he created a thousand clones to go research about the topic.

For some reason fish was one of the few things that didn't have a bigger form. They came in normal sizes, but what they lacked in size they made up in number as well as in variety. There were literally thousands of different species, and as Naruto would soon learn, not all of the water in the swamp was fresh water.

Once he gained the knowledge of the five hundred clones that stuck to the original assignment he created another one thousand clones to man the fish farm.

With one week til his training was to begin, Naruto decided that he would explore some of the unexplored parts of the mountain. Maybe he could find something else to tame, to mine, to gather, to etcetera.

* * *

So leaving his travelling compaions at his headquarters. He climbed up the cliff face. After reaching the moutain peak where the fortress was found, Naruto raced towards where he remembered the cave being. After reaching it he created two thousand clones and sent them into the cave to collect what they could of the remaining gold and crystals.

Naruto having gotten used to creating thousands upon thousands clones, after mastering a way for them to last longer than they originally should, still needed the handseal and the words when he was to create the number of clones that he wanted to create to help him in his latest quest.

"**TAJUU KAGE BUSHIN NO JUTSU!**" were the words that echoed throughout the mountain.

Two hundred fifty thousand clones materialised before his very eyes. All of which preprogrammed to scour what of the rest of the mountain that they could.

Clones scrambled in every direction. Each one seeking something that would interest them, and in turn interest their creator. With speeds that as far as Naruto knew only Ninja could move at, the clones travelled the impossibly massive mountain. Hundred of which accidentally dispelling themselves in their rush. The torrent of information bombarding Naruto's mind a mile a minute. Unable to handle the strain on his mind, the blonde haired idiot passed out. The first day of his last week of freedom was spent in dreamland.

Waking up on the ground the next day Naruto, changed his clothes into a fresher set that he thankfully kept in a storage scroll, that also held a variation of the menu found in the mess hall. The instructions of how to make one were found by some scholar clones in the library, as well as some other useful stuff.

Apparently all of the clones he had sent off in search of something to do had all dispelled. Some found something interesting, while others just, went poof.

Naruto then created ten thousand clones, and divided them into ten group. Each group would travel to a different destination. Nine of the groups had set off in search of an adventure in the direction that Naruto ordered them to go to. While Group ten was left to accompany Naruto to another cave, a few miles away from the cave he was near.

Naruto's group was the first one to reach their destination. The cave entrace was just a small hole in the mountain, it was small enough for only five clone to pass through at the same time. Already knowing what to expect he had the clones just run into the cave. He ordered them to hide themselves as best as they could once they reached the massive cavern at the end of the tunnel. Being found out by the inhabitants of the cave was a bad thing.

* * *

As group ten was stealthily entering the cave, group one was surrounding a bowl shaped dent in the ground. There were five layers of clones surrounding the perimeter. Some of the clones had made their way into the crater, as stealthily as they could as not to alert the crater's inhabitants of their approach and their presence.

The crater was home to nest upon nest of giant birds of prey, one distinguishing feature of these birds was that their feathers were mostly of the color white. From the vantage points of several of the clones, the biggest of the birds had a wingspan of fourty eight feet. One group of clones found a discarded feather that they measured as being twenty four feet long. Some of the clones that were closer to one of the nest estimated that the eggs were at least one hundred feet in circumference. The clones that had been reading about birds's efforts had sure paid off. They had stumbled upon a Roc nesting site. Good thing the library had books about how to care for any, literally any kind of animal in existence, as well as perceived nonexistence.

The clones had a job to do, steal and seal as many of those eggs as they could get their thousand pair of hands on. The clones in the crater would wait for the clones up top to distract the birds before they would make their move. They may not have had any storage scrolls but they would have to make do with the discarded feathers around them.

The clones up above the nesting site, started to prepare Jutsus. Half of the group was up top, while the other half was in the crater. The clones had decided to use a combination of Fuuton: Daitoppa, Doton: Dochuu Eigyo, and Katon: Housenka no Jutsu, to lure out the adult birds.

Only three fourths of the clones would use Jutsu, the others would run interference with the birds.

At a predetermined time, the first group of Jutsu users let fly a storm of fireballs in the direction of the many nests in the crater. This storm was followed by a strong blast of wind from the second group, thus increasing the size and power of the fireballs.

The birds quickly reacted by taking to the skies, thinking that their nests would be protected from the attacks. Rising above the mouth of the crater the birds started to dive bomb the clones.

Just before the birds would hit the clones, who had now directed their projectiles at the flying birds, the third group of jutsu users fired literal fishes made of rock, mud, and basically earth at the approaching birds of prey. Those that were to close to pull up in time were injured by the hundreds of solid fish that slammed into their bodies.

There were literally hundreds of the blasted things in the air, circling the clones, while at the same time avoidin their attacks.

While the clones up top were sucessfully keeping the adults occupied, the clones in the crater quickly made their move, they sealed away half of each clutch worth of eggs, which totaled to around two thousand five hundred eggs all in all.

The birds in the sky had noticed little ants moving to and fro near and in their nests. The birds that noticed this alerted their fellows, and decided that it was time for them to go on the offensive. Half of the birds stayed in the air, while the other half shot down like rockets towards the nesting area. Upon landing they moved as quick as they could to the nearest clones to take them out.

Caught by surprise more than half of the clones had fallen to the surprise attack, the remaining clones made a mad dash for the mouth of the crater. But they didn't forget the storage feathers. Two hundred clones scrambled out of there as fast as they could. The other fifty of their number stayed behind to buy them some time, by fighting the birds.

Some of the clones formed tornadoes of water to surround their bodies as they rushed the birds injuring many before they succumbed to chakra depletion. Other clones surrounded themselves in tornadoes of fire, that would not only scorch the earth, but also burn anything that touched its walls. Those clones too rushed the birds, and they too, in time would run out of chakra.

Some of the birds would take to the air and try and blow the clones away, but the gale force winds that they produced by beating their wings just strengthened the towers of fire. The Will of Fire burned brighter than the clones would ever be able to burn. This aid from the birds, would help the fire clones to injure more birds than they had originally planned on taking out of the fight.

The clones that were buying time for the retreating clones were careful not to harm the remaining eggs. They knew that wiping out the whole nest would be a really bad thing. For one it would be like they had commited genocide. They knew that their creator would not be able to handle the guilt that that would bring about.

Some of the other clones would power up multiple elemental dragons to fly in the sky and intercept the birds. The Rocs were something else. They battled using their beaks, claws, wings. Everything they got when they were confronted by these dragon. They viewed the dragons as a greater threat as compared to the clones. All the birds quickly engaged the dragons.

Noticing what the clones down below had done, the remaining clones up top started forming their own elemental dragons. Somehow they were able to make it possible for the dragons to fly in the sky free and unencumbered.

Some of the clones got the idea of multitasking, these clones would pair up and jump on the heads of their dragons, one clone would control and maintain a dragon, while the other would breathe out attack ranging from air bullets, to grand fireballs, to jets of hot water, that would be directed at nearby Rocs.

The clones had been fighting for hours. The retreating clones had yet to climb out of the crater. Going down was one thing, going up without getting killed was another.

It was nearing sundown, and the battle still raged on, there were still some six hundred clone in the battlefield, while the Rocs still numbered in the hundreds, hundreds more than the clones. The safe escape of the two hundred clones with the storage feathers was the top priority of the still fighting four hundred clones.

* * *

Clone group two had made it to a waterwall. It wasn't the waterfall that intrigued them, it was the creatures that were living at the foot of the waterfall. The waterfall itself was a stagerring eight thousand feet tall, it was also thirty five thousand five hundred feet wide. At its base was a lake with a single opening that lead to a river, that if followed would lead to another waterfall, the foot of which would be somewhere in the surrounding jungle, in an unexplored area for Naruto.

The lake itself was five hundred seventy two miles at its widest point, and it was one thousand seven hundred eighty four miles long, and it had a depth of eight hundred ninety five thousand seven hundred fifty six feet at its deepest part. Starting from the water's edge to the treeline was white sand, plain white sand. At the edge of the shores of the lake various kinds of trees could be found. Trees that could not be seen from the roof of the fortress due to numerous illusions. The surrounding forests and jungles were inhabited by both regular sized and super sized creatures.

The creatures living in the water ranged from things that should be extinct to things that should not really even exist. But the one creature that the clones had gone to the waterfall base for were crocodiles. A certain species that to most of the rest of the world should be extinct. They were known as, according to the scholar clones' research, sarcosuchus aka SuperCroc. The longest one that the clones could find was forty feet long. Like most crocs these monster kept their eggs safely tucked away in nests. It was time for the clones to split up into two groups. One group would distract the adults, while the other group would steal and seal some eggs into storage leaves.

Naruto and his clones would later play god with the eggs and manipulate their DNA into giving the crocs a tougher hide, their hide would be made out of some kind of organic metal.

Back to the matter at hand, the nest were hidden somewhere either in the foliage or on the shore. The clones had a difficult job a head of them. Not only were they supposed to avoid getting maimed by the crocs, but they would also have to avoid certain death from the other inhabitants of the lake, as well as the surrounding green. One thousand clones versus possibly thousands of other creatures was not good odds.

To get the attention of the crocs a fourth of the diversionary team jumped into the water with kunai in hand. An advanced Henge later they were ten foot long scorpions with flippers instead of legs in the water, but even in this form they had no chance against a fully grown supercroc, so they improvised. Swimming around the one hundred twenty five clones spotted a pod of dolphins, adding chakra to their flippers and fins the clones rushed the dolphins and started cutting into their flesh, causing scent of blood to fill the water.

The clones succeeded in catching the attention of not only the crocs but also every other prdator in the lake. The other one hundred twenty five clones that were on the water's surface noticed tha something had gone terribly wrong, they noticed this just as their brothers shot out of the water and ran towards land with a school, pod, or horde of other things right on their tails. The clones on the surface followed their brothers shortly after.

The clones had caused the predators to do into a bloody brawl, the bloodlust in the area was suffocating, the predators paid it no mind, but the other creatures in the area ran or swam for cover immediately.

The other half of the diversionary team had been splitting the waterwall as well as standing on the rocks protruding out of it. But these clones had to bolt from their positions due to the number of carnivorous things that were coming out of the waterfall to join the brawl.

The brawl had been raging for more than two hours already, the smell of spilt blood had attracted the land predators to the lake, which gave the clones a lot more problems than they thoght they could handle.

The clones that were searching for the eggs had finally finished their searching, stealing, and sealing, they were also able to get eggs from other reptiles, they signalled to the other clones that they were done, and were about to leave when their path was blocked by rampaging mammal, reptiles, and other such creatures. The clones were trapped between the crimson lake, and the forest of death.

So the clones decided to fight their way through, so they rolled up the storage leaves, and tied them with some vines, and secured them to a clone, one clone that the other four hundred ninety nine would protect.

The clones ran for it through the fighting forms of the predators, some herbivors had unfortunately joined the fray. While the clones ran, those at the edges of the group were spewing mud on the ground from their mouths, the mud would then rise up somehow and form rock hard walls that would prevent anything from passing through and dispelling the clones. To make the ride back to the fortress faster the clones at the back of the rushing column created some suiryuus that the other clones jumped on to ride on, these water dragons combined with the chakra of all the clones flew through the dense forest and some jungle swifter than the clones were originally moving at.

Darkness was creeping in, when the dragons broke through the tree tops and started to soar above the trees, but no higher than the roof of the fortress in the distance.

Soon the dragon riders noticed a fierce sky battle between some dragons and some giant birds. One of the clones formed a dragon, and leapt onto it, while another one joined him as his Jutsu support. The two man reconaissance team then flew off in the direction of the battle to get a closer look.

As they neared the battle they recognised their brethren. Battling the birds atop their own elemental creations. The recon team, then swiftly flew back to their group, and relayed what they had witnessed.

The Roc hunting party were in big troule and were in need of assistance badly. The supercroc party then deicided then and there that they would aid their brothers. The clone with the eggs would go on ahead to headquarters instead of the fortress, three more clones would go with him, they would ride on a dragon of wind. The clone with the eggs and his three guards swiftly left on their dragon.

The half of the remaining clones formed their own dragons, two per dragon, one driver, and one support. Then they rode of into battle.

It was nightfall, and yet the sky was as bright as day with all the flahing lights from the various jutsu.

* * *

At the same time that groups one and two had reached their destinations, group three had also reached theirs. It was a cliff, with a sheer drop, but on the cliff face there were some caves carved into it. Their targets would be found in those caves.

The creatures that group three were after were reptiles, they were snakes of a sort. Big, long ones. The longest one would probably be around fifty feet in length, at the same time weighing slightly more than a ton. These monsters were huge. Their venom was so poisonous, that if not treated quickly the victim would die a painful death, the venom would take nearly instantaneous effect. It could also kill at a glance, although its gaze was somewhat selective, it had the ability to control when to and when not to kill. The beast whose eggs the clones had come for were those of the basilisk, the serpent king kind. Just like the myths surrounding such creatures, they could be created by having a toad sit on a chicken egg til it hatches, but unfortunately for Naruto the only toads and chicken eggs he could find were five feet tall each, he had yet to come across a normal sized toad or chicken. Which left the clones to gather the eggs of the beast.

Slowly the thousand clones scaled the cliff face, once some of them reached one of the openings they entered. They formed rasengans to be used as their light source. The tunnels were dark after all.

There were fifty holes all in all, meaning twenty clones entered each of the clones. Slowly each group walked through the tunnels, hoping against all hope that the serpents would not sense them.

Three hours of walking later, the groups converged in a large chamber with more tunnels leading out of it. There were also some torches and the like hanging on the walls.

"Something tells me we aren't the only intelligent life in here," one of the clones said.

The clones then moved onwards, more cautiously than before, hopefully they would not have to come face to face with the other beings that were in the tunnels.

A few more minutes of walking later the clones entered chamber, the floor littered with eggs. There were no snakes in sight, but the clones were now more than cautious. One hundred of the clones shapeshifted into lizards and crawled on the walls of the chamber to get a better view of the place. The other clones too transformed into other much smaller creatures.

The lizard team, from up on the walls, saw that in the middle of the chamber was a pit, the pit was writhing as if alive. One clone that had transformed into a bird flew over the opening to get a better look at the inside. What it saw frightened it, inside the pit were snakes, snakes, and more snakes. There were snakes and serpents of all sizes, and lengths. But not one of them looked like an adult basilisk.

Off on one side of the chamber part of the wall suddenly parted, revealing a half man, half lizard being, a lizard-man. In one hand it carried a torch, in the other it carried an egg. It somehow manuevered itself to an empty spot and placed the egg there. Then it left the room, sealing the hole in the wall from whence it came.

The clones were actually surprised to see something else aside from the snakes that they were expecting. But now that it was gone, the clones had their chance. They didn't know when the thing would come back so they all reverted to their human selves, and started collecting eggs. It was a good thing that the eggs were the size of normal chicken eggs, except for the fact that they were all colored dark green, and had a scaly texture. Some of the clones had brought some leaves with them, which they used in the place of storage scrolls.

After sealing some five thousand eggs, the clones collectively heard the sound of footsteps, fast approaching. Rolling up the storage leaves, the clones quickly made their escape out of the holes from whence they came. They left the caverns not a minute too late, for should they have stayed any longer they would have seen more than five hundred spear and sword wielding lizard-men storming the chamber. The snakes from the pit must have somehow alerted them to the presence of the clones.

The clones took a break at the top of the cliff, thinking that there was no way that those lizard-men would be able to reach them for some time. They thought that they had time to rest.

But it was not meant to be, when suddenly out of the surrounding foliage a hundred spears flew out, narrowly missing the clones.

"Doton Kekkai: Dorou Doumu," a clone announces after a seal sequence.

The clone and his companions are hidden from view under a dome of chakra enforced earth. The barrier separating them from their attackers who were slamming into the dome on the outside.

Formulating an escape plan, the clones decide to use that which the other groups are likely to use.

Bursting out of the earth dome the clones take to the skies in a surprising flight of dragons. This action surprsed the lizard-men so much that it also frightened them enough to forget about going after the egg theives.

The clones decided to have two dragons fly faster in order to reach their headquarters faster. The sooner the eggs are delivered, the sooner the preservation jutsus and seals could be placed on them.

The remaining clones flew onwards in search of the other groups, somehow knowing that they would be in need of some help.

* * *

Group four found themselves in the presence of a herd of grazing cows, regular sized cows. Hundreds of them grazing in an open field somewhere on the mountain.

The plan was simple, the clones were to somehow herd the cows to where group five should have finished building a dairy farm, and slaughterhouse.

Beef and milk produce was one of the reasons Naruto had his clones go to this part of the mountain. The clones were tasked to herd as many cows and bulls as they could.

The clones couldn't afford a stampede, so they slowly made their way around the bovines. After forming a perimiter they started making earth walls around the animals, enclosing them in the impromptu pen.

Now the clones just had to figure out how to move the them to the location where the farm was being built.

Since they had been able to trap a lot of the aniamls in their earth wall pen, the clones decided that they would try out their herding skills with the rest of the herd. The still free to move about ones.

One hundred clones stayed with the pen to watch over their catch, while the other nine hundred went off to "play" with the cattle.

A bunch of clones decided to create, elemental wolves that they would ride on to try and do what sheep dogs do. Since that was their first time with elemental wolves it took several clones to imprint a kind of personality into their creations.

Some of the other clones stuck to the tried and tested way of doing things, and just created dragons to ride. These clones would serve as the lookouts, instead of sentry towers, there were elemental dragons in the sky, each one being manned by ten clones.

Due to all the chakra and elemental manipulation that Naruto did with the help of his clones, his chakra control had skyrocketted. Meaning that he was able to use some genjutsu, he still did not have the control needed for the smaller things, but the larger, area-effect type of illusions he could do.

With the help of his clones Naruto had figured out that basically, in the field of genjutsu, there was no such thing as limitaions. The only limitations that there were in that particular field were the limits of his imagination. As a prankster, there were no such limitations. He just had to put his hairbrained ideas to practical use.

Due to his present ability to use genjutsu the Naruto clones monitoring the penned cattle had decided to try and manipulate the minds of the cattle, the clones would try and trick cattle into moving in the direction that they, the clones, needed the cattle to go. They would plant the idea of going to the location into the minds of the cattle.

After some trial and error, the hundred clones had managed to make the animals move in the direction of where group five's farm was located.

Fifty of the clones were maintaining the genjutsu, while the other fifty were creating and destroying walls around the animanls, they were making sure that if the genjutsu somehow failed, the cattle wouldn't be able to escape.

The clones that were fooling around with the unpenned cattle were having some luck of their own, the sheep dog idea seemed to be working. But it was a draining experience, the clones on the wolves had to take turns in keeping their rides alive. Keeping the elemental wolves alive like they were was still something the clones had not come up with.

Amaterasu had gone to sleep and left Tsukiyomi to bathe the land in his light. Sometime before dusk group five had finished their task, thanks in part to group six who had found the pigs near to group five's place. Sometime after sunset was when group four and lots of cattle made it to the farm, ranch, whatever.

Group four dispelled their wolf creations, and began to help out with the duties of the newly constructed and populated farm.

But not all the clones of group four were helping out. The ones on the dragons had noticed the light show in the distance, and went off to investigate.

* * *

Group seven and eight had met up after not being able to find the creatures that they were sent off to find. It seemed that the creatures they were looking for, the rhinocerous and elephants had migrated or something.

But there was something else that they had found, ankylosaurus. Beast of burden and tank all rolled up into one. Just one problem, there were too many of them. The clones needed to find their nesting grounds, so that they could steal and seal some eggs. Training from birth, is easier, and better than taming then training. The clones had their work cut out for them.

The two thousand clones split up into forty much smaller groups to search for the nesting grounds. The ankylosaurus not yet noticing the clones. Luckily for the clones.

The area that the clones were in was a rocky plain, with some bushes here and there, as well as some grassy areas littering the plain. More than half of the open plain was covered in ankylosaurus.

These cold blodded critters grew to be at most thirty five feet long, stading at eleven feet tall, and weighing at most ten thousand pounds. These creatures' bodies were covered with hard bony plates that served as their body armor against most attacks. They also sported a club at the end of their tails. For added protection, these critters had horns at the side of their heads, as well as spike along the sides of their bodies.

It took the clones three hours to find the nesting grounds, but they had encountered another problem. The nests were being guarded by the reptiles, there were just as many reptiles as there were nests. This posed a problem for clones. They were slow beasts, slow but heavy and strong beasts, it wouldn't be such a good idea for the giant lizards to destroy their own nests, and shatter their own eggs, it would be counter productive for both parties.

The two groups of clones peered at the nesting grounds from a higher ridge of rocks that were overlooking the grounds. They needed a plan, there were losing daylight, and they were sure that as soon as they lost daylight those grazing ones would return to their nests.

The clones couldn't use any offensive or defensive jutsus to distract or lure the creatures away from the nests. So the clones had to think, and they had to think quickly. Some of the sentries that they had keep a look out for any returning creatures had just reported that the creaters were ambling their way back to the nesting grounds.

The only thing that the clones could think of was travelling underground and plucking th eggs right from under the creatures' noses. Of course this would lessen the number of eggs that they would be able to collect, but even just two thousand eggs would be worth it.

So the clones implemented their plan and used Doton jutsus to burrow beneath the rocky soil and travel the distance to the various nests, swiftly plucking the eggs one by one from the nest, then quickly returning to their places on the ridge. After all the clones had returned they sealed the eggs in leaves that they had picked up from the surrounding foliage.

Then they made their way towards their headquarters. There they would place preservation jutsus and seals on the eggs to keep them alive, until all the facilities that would be used to raise and care for them had been built.

* * *

Group nine had finally made it to their destination. It was a prairie found some four thousand miles above jungle level, jungle level being the jungle ring surrounding the mountain. The massive prairie ground was roughly somewhere midway up the mountain.

This prairie was filled with miles and miles of grass. Grass that was being eaten by several herds of horses. Wild horses are animals that Naruto believed to be important. This thought was brought about by his growing military knowledge. Due to being a shinobi, Naruto wanted to learn more about fighting, not just hand to hand fighting as most ninja did, but everything else that had to do with fighting. He knew that, despite acting like an idiot, that being Hokage meant that he would be a military leader, a leader similar to what he was to his thousands upon thousands of clones. He actually studied the history of the ninja world, he just didn't apply himself during his academy years due to instinctively knowing that since the people already hated him for something that he was not aware of, he did not want to make people notice him for his intelligence, he somehow knew that they would just say that he was cheating or something, the people would just find some way to discredit him. So to avoid any problems, Naruto had just acted dumb, he put up a front that he was the happy go lucky idiot that many people saw.

Naruto had some of his clones study everything that had to do with fighting, be it physical, verbal, ideal, etcetera. There were clones that researched warfare, some actually coming into contact with Sun Tzu's Art of War, how the hell a copy got into the library Naruto didn't really care, but it was there. Some of the clones had studied military tactics and strategy. Some of the clones had studied debate, arguments, logic, and psychology. There were some clones that just searched for and studied theories and the like. Touken one day helped Naruto's scholar clones by explaining some more complex things and ideas, which kind of advanced Naruto's thinking processes, as well as jump starting some of broken brain parts. If his mind were likened to a machine, many of the things in it were recalibrated and upgraded. Naruto's Kage Bushin learning method had hot wired his brain, this method of research, study, and development, had somehow forced his brain to evolve somehow, his brain was forced to go beyond its previously set limitations. The mind is the most dangerous thing in existence. The mind has lots of untapped potential. Naruto's learning method forced his mind to tap into this potential.

Horses, if his clones could get some, tame some, and train some, would be of great use to him once he was allowed to leave. Naruto during his short stay had quickly become a literal one man army. He needed something that could be used as cavalry, horses were the tried and tested creatures. Naruto knew from his history lessons that horses were used by samurai as well as the Lords of the lands in their great armies.

That being the reason as to why the thousand clones were trying to figure out a way to catch the horses. They had to find a way to corral the horses. The thought of using earth barriers had been suggested but, the clones pushed that idea aside due to possibility of the horses being faster than wall formation. They went with the next best thing, they would do as the group that were tasked with collecting cattle. But instaed of wolves, they would stick to dragons. Wind dragons to be precise. These elemental creations were the fastest ones that the clones could control and create. Their bodies were held together by gale force winds, they would make the perfect boudaries to keep the horses within a wall formed by a thousand wind dragons.

The clones' only remaining problem would be where they would house, care, and train the horses. Naruto overlooked this one problem, nobody is perfect. So it was left to the clones to figure out where and how to keep the horses, that by this time they had captured, secured.

Half of the clones jumped off of their mounts, the remaining riding half utilized their crude control of chakra strings, which were more like cables, to control the riderless dragons.

The demounted clones rushed to create some kind of solid corral, quickly going through some hand seals, the clones spewed out mounds and mounds of mud, that would quickly harden to form stone barriers and walls. The clones were forming large enclosures that would serve as corrals for the horses. The space was enough to hold up to five thousand horses. Once they were done, some clones signaled to the dragon riders that they were ready or the horses. Afterwards the clones began construction on the buildings that would serve as the living quarters, offices, and whatnot of the clones that were to be staying with the horses. It was a few hours later that the facility was completed.

These clones, after finishing their duty sent out four clones to inform headquarters of their success.

* * *

Naruto and his clones had finally reached a massive chamber filled with crags, protruding rocks, smaller caves, and the like covering the walls of the chamber, boulders and the like littering the chamber floors. Another thing that Naruto and his clones took note of was the sheer amount of gold, jewels, and other treasures that also littered the floor of the chamber. Some clones that were able to get near the mouths of some of the smaller caves within the chamber were able to catch glimpses of hidden mounds of treasures.

Naruto ordered his clones to hide themselves, the creature that they were seeking to gain was highly inteligent as well as highly dangerous.

Naruto had his clones fan out throughout chamber, all of them still hiding. They were all searching for their prey. The species of reptile that Naruto was aiming to acquire were smarter than the others that he had his clone armies hunt for, these ones may not have been smarter than some of their fortress dwelling cousins, but they were smart enough, and dangerous enough to have gained Naruto's attention.

Naruto had previously encountered some of its other cousins in the great desert, the SandFish. Naruto didn't really care about the names of some of the other creatures in this place. This so called land which Kyonshi rules over and most likely created somehow was home to a nigh infinite number of different species of animals. Too many names to remember so Naruto just stuck to his nicknames for many of them.

The beast that Naruto was hunting had scales from snout to tail tip. It moved on four legs, very different to the species that Naruto was used to, instead of gliding with the help of some kind of magic. His prey had a pair of wings, which were bat-like in appearance. As compared to their more intelligent and sleek cousins, these animals had some slightly more bulkier or muscular bodies. These creatures had a snake-like neck, just like their cousins, which separated their horned head from their bodies. Their jaws had rows upon rows of shark-sharp teeth. At the tip of their tails were short blades that could be used for protection or defense. These creatures had the ability to breathe out the elements, fire, ice, lightning. Their roars were something that could frighten even the most fearless of creatures. Their paws had claws that were just as sharp as the blades on their tails or the teeth held within their jaws. Their claws were somewhat special, these having the same ability as felines, they could detract their claws. They came in different colors, as well as in different sizes. The largest one that Naruto and his clones had been able to spot was over fifty feet in length from snout to tail tip, with a wingspan of seventy five feet from wingtip to wingtip. It stood at a height of twenty feet tall. These creatures were one of the many lesser dragons, they were known as western dragons which was according to some of the books that the scholar clones had memorized. Naruto decided to just call refer to them as dragons.

The large dragon that Naruto and his clones saw was resting in the middle of the massive cavern, on a mound of gold and jewels. Around it on similar mounds were smaller dragons.

Naruto knew from the knowledge he had gathered, that these creatures had enhanced sense, which senses he did not know. As much as he would love to find out, he did not want to find out when the hunter become the hunted.

He motioned for some of his clones to see what were inside the caves. While he and the rest of his clones continued hiding among the rocks, crags, and other places they could hide in.

The knowledge that Naruto had accumulated did not contain the social patterns or behaviors of these creatures. He couldn't ask the dragons back in the fortress how these cousins of theirs behaved because they were of different species, and as intelligent as they were, they were still very arrogant and did not care to associate themselves with less intelligent creatures, or rather with the less intelligent and self aware of their kind.

Naruto and his clones had forgotten to take into account the possibility that the dragons could smell them. Apparently these dragons had an enhanced sense of smell, Naruto and his clones learned this after a blast of flame was shot out of one of the holes in which the one of the clones had entered. This jet of flame alerted the resting dragons to the danger lurking within their cave. Quickly each and every one of the resting dragons rose up to their full heights, making use of their enhanced senses to seek out the tresspassers.

Naruto knew that the awakening of the cave dwellers meant that he and his clones could no longer hide. To survive, Naruto now had to fight.

The nesting mothers started to come out of their cave nests to confront Naruto's clones. The fire, lightning, and ice that were being breathed out by the beasts were no danger to the eggs that Naruto was after, but they were a danger to Naruto and his clones.

The dragons' behavoir clued in Naruto to the very social behavior of the dragons. The dragons looked to be following the orders of the largest of them all. It seemed to be that the smaller dragons were being positioned in strategic locations nearer or closer to the mouths of the cave nests. They were the support for the nesting females. There were a lot of dragons in the cave, apparently a lot more than Naruto and the clones had originally seen, or noticed. Naruto and his clones were at a huge disadvantage.

They may have encountered dragons before, but not in the numbers that they were facing in the cave.

The clones spread out, and prepared for the deadly confrontation that was about to take place. Naruto decided that if he was going to fight he would get to chose his opponent, and being the leader of his group, he would challenge the alpha male of the flight. While his clones would take on the others.

Naruto and the bull, the bull being the large male, sized each other up, they circled each other wary of the capabilities and abilities of the other.

As one the two leaders attacked. Naruto lashing out with his katana, the dragon with its claws. The dragon forced Naruto to parry and dodge the the razor blades jutting out of the dragons forelimbs. While Naruto was able to fend give the dragon many wounds.

Frustrated at the lack of contact that it was making the dragon started to use its teeth and tail blade as well. This action forced Naruto to bring out his kunai as well as using chakra enhanced kicks.

As the dragon's jaws came down on his form while a claw attempted to slash his guts open, Naruto blocked the slash, while at the same time kicking the dragon's advancing jaws. The katana that blocked the claws was covered in a thin layer of wind natured chakra, thus Naruto was able to slice into the dragon's paw. The kick on the otherhand was not strong enough to shatter the dragon's jaw, but it was strong enough to send the dragon's head back, and the dragon reeling back.

Both opponents made some distance between each other, knowing that they could each take a short break from fighting one another. While they were taking their rest from their battle they couldn't help but witness the actions of their comrades battling around them. Some were defending, while the others were attacking.

Groups of clones were forcing earth, mud, and stone walls to jut out of the ground to protect them from the dragons' breath that were supposed to cook them. While other clones threw rasengan bombs at the attacking dragons, these bombs were basically self sustaining rasengans that could be thrown. Naruto still had not been able to complete the imcomplete invention of the Yondaime Hokage, but his latest way of using the attack was just what he needed at the moment. These clones, unlike their creator, had the time to form attacks, they did not need to rely on their kunai to ward of attacks and to attack in return. Several of the dragons had fallen to the rasengan bombardment, but not the clones, save for the one that got found out, had been killed.

The dragons had been using everything in their arsenal. Realizing that their attacks were not penetrating the defenses of the clones, some of the dragons were starting to give up, while the others just kept up their attacks in the hopes of out lasting their enemy.

The dragons had seemed to forget that they had the power of flight at their beck and call, but that was a good thing, if all of them decided to take to the air they would just crowd themselves and kill themselves in the process.

The clones by the caves in the walls tried to pass by the mothers that were guarding the entrance to their nests, but they did not seem to have made any progress. The female dragons were tougher and more dangerous than the males that were fighting on the chamber floor. Some of the clones had already poofed out of existence due to the she-dragons' attacks.

Back with Naruto and the bull, the two had already resumed their attacks. Their break had only lasted for a minute before they were back at each other's throats.

Naruto decided that he needed to end the fight, since he doubted that he could continue fighting the large predator for the rest of the day and continue into the night. This was not a battle of attrition. This was a battle for leadership, as Naruto had realized.

He decided that he would try an attack that had yet to be tested. He would add chakra to his katana, but instead of just an added sharp layer, he would have the chakra form a chainsaw blade. Instead of just cutting into his opponent's skin, he would hopefully be able to cut through it. Hopefully gravely injure the beast. His plan was to either force the bull to back off, sever a limb, or worst case scenario was to kill it. The rest of his plan was to just run up to the bull and perform a jump slash. It was kind of a kamikaze plan, but if it didn't work he could just kawarimi with a clone.

The rest of the dragons inside the chamber somehow instinctively knew that the next few moments would be the the deciding move of the battle for supremacy. Just as Naruto started his charge, the dragons just stared. Watching and waiting for the outcome, the end of the battle which they knew was about to happen.

The battle had finally ended, the stronger of the two leaders remained standing, panting from the ordeal, but still standing. But instead of the expected roar, which even the clones were expecting, the witnesses got a cry of "Woohoo!"

Naruto had won. His chainsaw katana had won him the fight, but at a cost, as happy as he was that he had won, he had had to resort to killing his opponent.

This win had resulted in a divided reaction from the dragons. Apparently Naruto and his clones had arrived hours before a majority of the eggs were to hatch. With the death of their leader, most of the dragons started to leave the cave in groups. Naruto and the clones decided not to pursue these leaving dragons. They took their hoard of treasure with them by sucking in their treasures and keeping it in their guts. Magic must help them do this Naruto had to assume. The nesting females whose eggs had hatched, as well as those who's eggs had not hatched left alongside the departing males. The females carried their young in their jaws, and claws.

The remaining dragons were all relatively young, only a few years old, but five of which were already twenty feet in length, their respective wingspans being thirty feet. Not all of them being male. Of the fifty dragons that had decided to follow Naruto, fifteen were male, while the rest were female. These females were too young to breed. Probably a year of ten too young.

Inside the now accesible caves the clones had found some clutches of eggs that remained. Each clutch that they had found contained around thirty to forty eggs. These eggs the clones sealed into storage shells that they had found, the shells being the substitute for lack of scrolls. The dragon shells that were lying around had a golden sheen to them, it appeared that the hatchlings somehow after hatching were better than alchemists at creating gold. The shells were made of pure gold. The hatchlings seemed to posses the ability to transform their egg shells into gold. The egg shells themselves also seemed to have some property in them that allowed the hatchling breath to turn them into eggs. The unhatched eggs were silver in color, but were not made out of silver, just colored that color. They had the shape of a perfect spere, with a diameter of six inches. The nest itself was not surronded by rocks, being reptiles, the gender of the dragons was determined by the temperature in which the eggs were being kept in, the rocks were not of the same color as the rest of the walls and floor, they were black, as if a flamethrower had constantly been used to heat them. Another thing that the clones had noticed about the eggs was that when they were hole they were extremely hard, harder than the rocks that made up their nests. The clones couldn't figure out how the hatchlings could break out of their shelled prisons, so they just chucked it up to some kind of magic.

While they were doing that, Naruto was figuring out how to communicate with the dragons. He tried talking to them, but that didn't seem to work out, he tried sign language, that didn't work either. He even tried shapeshifting into a dragon, but couldn't figure out how to communicate with the dragons either. Then an odd thought struck him, maybe the dragons were psychic. It was a possibility, so he tried meditating, and using his chakra tried to extend his thoughts out to the dragons. After an hour of trying, and before he decided to give up with that method, he seemed to have connected with the dragons. He knew that he did was when he saw that the dragons around him were starting to kneel on the ground.

He had nine hundred of the clones travel to headquarters with the stored eggs for preservation seals and jutsu to be placed and used on them. The clones in headquarters would have to construct facilities to take house and care for the dragons.

He and the remaining clones started to climb onto the backs of the dragons. Naruto and his clones told the dragons what they wanted them to do by use of their thoughts, although Naruto was not psychic, he expressed his thoughts using a controlled chakra pulse, which carried his thoughts.

At the top most part of the chamber a series of caves, tunnels, and large holes bringing sunlight into the chamber served as the entraces and the exits of the chamber.

Forty five of the dragons had a pair of clones riding on their backs, sitting between their shoulderblades. The five biggest ones did not have any clones on them. The clones that had no mounts were ordered by Naruto to report to headquarters to find something productive to do. Once all the smaller dragons were ready for liftoff, Naruto mounted one of the five remaining males. But unlike his clones he did not sit, he stood, he used chakra to keep in place.

He and his flight of live dragons took to the skies. Naruto suspected that one of the groups of clones that he had sent out might need some help.

Sometime after leaving the cave darkness had set in, Naruto also noticed the fight in the sky. He directed the his flight of dragons towards the fight, knowing that his clones were there. He knew this due to the sight of elemental dragons flying in the sky.

The battle of the clones versus the Rocs had gotten to the point that clones were starting to be on the losing side. The clones with the storage feathers had just gotten out of the crater. But their latest problem was that they had no way to leave the vicinity of the fight. Even with the reinforcement that was brought by the other clones groups, there was still not enough cover for clones to get away.

But Naruto and his flight of dragons had appeared not a moment too late. Rocs and his dragons were roughly the same size. If there was one thing that the rocs couldn't hope to handle, it was a flight of dragons being led by Naruto. His clone armies were in luck, their creator had arrived, and he was a handseal away from summoning forth another army's worth of more of clones. Which is exactly what he did.

These newly created clones immediately formed dragon mounts of their own and took to the air, the new goal was no longer distraction, but to temporarily ward off the rocs.

Three hours later Naruto and his clones had arrived at headquarters to rest for the rest of the day, as well as for the dragons to get acquainted with their temporary home.

* * *

Dawn had arisen on day five, the previous two days had been spent resting, as well as constructing and finishing the construction of the needed facilities for all the new animals that Naruto and his clones were to care for and train for future use, militarily, agriculturally, and for transportation purposes. This day Naruto planned on spending his day hunting for regular sized vampire bats, smilodons, and direwolves.

After leaving the safety of headquarters Naruto created six thousand clones. Two thousand clones would search the caves in the jungles for the bats, two thousand would search for the cats in the plains and prairies on the mountain, and Naruto with the remaining clones would serach for some direwolves in the jungle.

The bat hunting party made its way around the base of the mountain, after two hours of searching for a cave they had finally found one. The clones were basing their hunting strategy on the fact that Naruto had seen cats of all shapes and sizes grouped together, when hunting the migrating herd of herbivores. The clones thought that if cats could travel together in diverse prides, then who's to say that the bats could not live in the same cave together.

The clones set up some cages that they had brought with them, and placed some animal blood in buckets within the cages. Half the clones had set up a perimeter around the area where the cave entrance was located. This was so that the clones could disuade any other meat eater from interferring with the clones' bat hunt. Five hundred clones decided to stay by the cages, hidden from view and from sonar by hiding underground. The other five hundred clones decided to go into the cave and see what was inside the cave, asides from bats.

Once again, using mini-rasengans as flashlights, the clones enterd the cave in smaller groups of five. Half of the clones were walking on the ground, while the other half were walking on the walls of the cave. So far the clones had not ecountered anything aside from stalactites and stalagmites.

It was at around two in the afternoon that the clones chanced upon their first sign of the bats, they had found guano, and water.

The clones on the walls had leapt off of the walls to avoid accidentally stepping on any of the critters that live in and on the walls. But even as they walked on the ground, and in the guano filled water, the clones still had to watch their steps. There were things on the ground that could possibly be alive, and might be of use to Naruto.

It would still be a few more hours before the inside of the cave would turn into a mad house. The clones had enough time to do their exploring. But the clones were unaware of the dangers that lurked within the darkness. The caves, just as the clones should have realized as well as remembered are usually filled with things that may be harmful to the wellbeing of the clones as well as the original. In every cave Naruto or his clones find something that they want, in this case they had found their vampire bats, but they had yet to find the catch.

Watching their every move was a predator unlike any other that Naruto had so far come across. They were like chameleons in the way that their skin matched whatever their surroundings were. They had two long forelimbs, and two shorter but more muscular hindlimbs. Their maws had three rows of knife like teeth, both on the upper and lower jaws. They had no eyes to speak of, but were like bats in the sense that they used sonar to pin point the location of objects.

As the clones moved further into the cave, they started to get the feeling as if something was watching them, which made them wary, just as they should have been right from the very beginning. As they walked through the water, one group noticed something wadding towards them, but before they could act, the unknown creatures struck.

The sudden movement and distict sound of splashing alerted the rest of the clones to the presence of the unkown predator. They then powered up their rasengans til they were regular sized ones. Making the clones now more than ready to take on any threat.

In a flash their opponents quick as lightning attacked the clones, systematically taking out the ones who were at the edges of the larger group. The clones at the middle could safely say that, due to the number of teams that were being killed at the same time, there were five of these unseen things amongst them.

Two clones of each of the remaining groups of clones plunged their rasengans into the water, this created whirlpools that immediately started to suck nearby free floating, and non-pegged down objects and critters to the center of the vortex and eventually underneath them.

As the clones merged their whirlpools the other clones began to notice where the water was parted as some unknown force made its way towards the whirlpools. When the things were close enough, the clones acted, they slammed their spiral spheres into the area in which they believe the bodies of the beasts were. This move effectively got rid of their stalkers by sending them flying into the cavern wall, and exposing their appearances to the clones.

But the vicious slamming of the bodies of these unusual predators into the walls also had the added effect of causing a rumbling sound to emanate from the rest of the deeper parts of the cave. Shortly afterwards the cave started to shake.

It started to feel as though an earthquake or tremors were occuring, when in truce the cave was collapsing.

The collapse of the cave had sent out all the winged residents, most of which had gotten caught in the cages. All of which were vampire bats, the clones were lucky this time. The trouble in the cave was tame compared to the trouble that other prvious clone groups had encountered in the past. Also the group was lucky that they did not need to segregate the bats.

The second group of clones had fanned out in one of the vast plains found midway up the mountain. They had spread out to find the smilodon, and subdue them. Once found the clones would make use of genjutsus to capture the catrs. These beasts, after some genetic toying, would make good pets and attackers.

This clone group found their assignment easy, the most difficult thing that they had to do was find the blasted cats.

The third and last group led by Naruto had found a four rather large packs of the specific type of direwolf that he was after. The regular direwolves that he wasn't after were roughly twice the size of a regular wolf. But the type that Naruto was looking for, was larger than that. The direwolves that Naruto was looking for, and had found were roughly the size of a horse, at least the adults were.

Naruto knew from his past encounter with the dragons, that the only way that he would gain control of these marvellous hunters was to defeat the pack leader in combat. Luckily for Naruto he had an ace in the hole. Forming a rasengan, he quickly slammed it into the side of the wolf, killing it instantly.

The good thing about the packs that he and his clones had found was that the packs were made up of mostly impresionable youths, meaning pups and their first time mothers. The alpha males being not that old themselves. They were roughly only three times as big as a regular wolf.

After finding all of their prey for the day, Naruto and his clones headed for home.

* * *

It was the morning of day seven, the last day of freedom, that Naruto found himself face to face with his latest Master, teacher, sensei.

"Kyonshi-sensei," Naruto said, "Can we start training now?"

"Are you sure you wish to begin?" was the reply.

"Yes sensei."

"Then we shall begin," motioning to the seats in front of his desk, "Have a seat and we shall begin."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 7**

"Your first lesson will be about this place we are in," Kyonshi began, "But before I begin, do you have any questions?"

"So, do you know exactly where we are?" Naruto asked.

"What do you think?," Kyonshi asked sarcastically, "Of course I know where we are!"

"Oh."

"You know, I thought you got smarter, but apparently not."

"Are you going to start with the lesson now, or are you going to just sit there and insult me?"

"Start the lesson," Kyonshi said.

"Ok," Naruto said, "Do I need to take notes or something?"

"No, not really."

"Ok," Naruto waited, "Can we start now?"

"Before the world was born, there was a void.." but Naruto interrupted him.

"How can you know that, if there was a void?" Naruto asked.

"That doesn't matter, just accept the fact that I do," Kyonshi calmly answered.

"Ok," Naruto said, "You can continue now."

"Thank you for letting me continue," Kyonshi said, "Now where was I..?"

"There was a void."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

"The lesson?"

"Oh, right. Well, as I was saying: Before the world was born, there was a void..." Kyonshi began anew...

"Before Izanagi and Izanami had been thought up, and even before anything divine had been thought up, there was a void, but not just any void. The Void. The only remnant of eons past. Nothing else remained from eons past, save for The Void.

There was once a time before the void, but not even I know what existed before that. No one around today knows what existed be fore the void. Existence before the void, if ever there was anything, no longer is as it once was. The Void is all that remains of that time.

But enough about that time. The true beginning of my relevant knowledge was at the time when a spark of existence was lit in the center of the void.

After this event, the void ceased being the void. It had gained two distinct features, the light and the darkness. Although the light was smaller than the darkness, but like most small things they grow, and oh boy did this one grow. It grew and grew til the darkness had to catch up. It was a race, back and forth did the mantle of greater trade places between the two. First dark, then light, then dark again. On and on did this cycle continue until neither light nor dark could tell each other apart. That was when chaos set in. Light and dark no longer existed as separate entities, they were now mixed, and jumbled up into one infitnite mess. Things would have continued the way it did had something not spontaneously existed.

A single entity had halted the chaos from further existing as it was. This event happened eons after the chaos came to exist.

The entity was a being of everything, yet also of nothing, a confusing being as I'm sure you are thinking."

Naruto interrupted the tale with an affirmative, but after receiving a glare silenced himself, and the sender of said glare continued the tale.

"But a being with the ability and the capacity to put chaos into order, meant that that being was powerful.." Kyonshi would have continued had Naruto not interrupted him again.

"Please don't tell me you were that being."

"No I will not. Now either let me continue without any further irrelevant interruptions, or do you already know this tale and do not need to hear it again?"

"..." Naruto's silence answered the query.

"The being was powerful, but not just plain power, not just your run of the mill power, this being was what I would like to think as the thing that started it all. Had its intervention not occurred, you and I would not be having this conversation or story telling, now would we?" he then stared at Naruto, "Don't answer that."

"..." Naruto didn't answer.

"From this sudden order, the being took the lighter half and separated it from the darker half. The lighter half was above, while the darker below. But to balance the two halves, it place the remaining chaos in between. The lighter half became what are now known as the heavens, the sky, and the waters, while the darker half is what are now the underworlds, the ground, the energies. Then the chaos is where all manner of life had spawned. While order was divided, chaos was, well, chaos.

Nothing from chaos was light or dark, all were a mixture of both. Order had three sons, and three daughters. While chaos had more.

Chaos as before produced a problem of sorts, chaos had produced far too many sons and daughters even for Order to look after. Now by this time, the being had assigned roles to Chaos and Order, Chaos was male, while Order was female.

Just as it is today, male and female still take on these roles. Males or Men are chaotic, while women are more of order. But at the same time either are still both, each gender has a certain amount of each, but most tend to have more of one than the other. Therein lies the chaos.

Mortals are creatures of chaos, while to attain either a balance or an imbalance would cause the mortal to become something more.

Immortals, that is a term not to be used lightly, as there are many degrees and forms which immortality is and can become. There is immortality of the mind, ageless knowledge, unending or undying wisdom. There is the immortality of the body, undying of the mortal shell. There is the immortality of the soul, the undying spirit. There is also the immortality of all. There are more than these, but I will discuss only those that are relevant to you, my young apprentice.

Getting back to the children of Chaos. There were far too many of them for Order and her children to look after. The being after some eons of contemplation and meditation, divided the children of Chaos into groups. With this division, the being created more of Order's kind.

Then Chaos produced another problem: where would his children be placed. Order and her children could not hold them for they were still plenty, and were too complex for them to understand, fathom, and to maintain.

To solve this problem the being reformed the void, it needed an open space, it needed a blank slate with limitless possibilities. This new void, reshaped from the old, was the blank slate that it needed in order to perform what needed to be done.

With the void in place the being then suffused a portion of its power with void, a fraction of its power, but enough to mutate the void. At the center of the void another spark was lit, but unlike the first this one was unstable, right from the beginning Chaos had taken his hold of it.

The being did not interfere with Chaos and his actions.

The chaos spread throughout the void, filling it up with more of himself. After passively watching the chaos spread, Order got tired of the display and decided to act. She took hold of the center, around where the spark had been influenced, and attempted to control it, to contain the spread. But by being not as powerful as the being that created the spark, she was only able to contain the chaos in smaller spheres. In marbles that glowed with power.

The power held within these orbs being smaller, acted like the light did, they grew. But the marbles remained as they were.

These marbles were the earliest suns and stars.

The power kept growing and growing, until no longer being able to contain the energies, they exploded. This explosion drew in the children of Order.

The first to join the mix, was energy, which forced the power to take shape, to become the blueprints for future creations. Next were the ground, the sky, and the water. These three as they were drawn in split and divided themselves equally among the blueprints to complete their forms. Then the last two entered. But since they were the most ordered of the six, they could not associate themselves with the chaos, so the Heavens rose above all the chaos, while the Underworlds settled below.

Once these actions were completed, the being stepped in. It beckoned the children of Chaos to follow their cousins, and join the void. As each group entered, the being directed them to a different construct. After all had been placed, Chaos brought up another problem: what would happen next.

Order had no qualms and never did, but Chaos continued to find another problem just as one had been solved. The being did not put forward a solution, which frustrated Chaos greatly. In his frustration, he slammed his power into the void shattering it into countless pieces.

From this shattering of the void was born the different spaces, the different dimension, the different worlds.."

"It seems like you're oversimplifying the creation of the world.." Naruto pondered out loud, which resulted in Kyonshi having to pause in his telling to the tale.

"There are some things that your mind is not yet ready to handle, as well as some things that your mind never will."

"Uh...you know what, I think I'll accept that for now. But once I'm dead you are going to have to tell me this story again, with the details that would have killed me had you told them to me today. Okay?"

"Die first and you'll get my answer," Kyonshi casually answered, "Shall I continue, or are we going to find out if I will retell the story after you die?"

"I'm not Hokage yet am I?" Naruto replied rhetorically.

"After the worlds were created, and life began, yes Naruto I am skipping some parts, go read up all the mythology books in the library if you want the complete creation story. Since all those stories have a grain of truth in them.

As I was saying: After the worlds were created, and life began, Chaos saw more problems arising, but chose not to voice this, as he was already sure the being had also seen it. Order on the otherhand, although knowing her other two companions had noticed it, decided to voice the problem, or rather in this case problems: what was the purpose, what were the rules. Order would have listed them all, but she was immediately silenced after the second one was said, by the being itself. Like most of the creations that Chaos had spawned, the three Celestials started to take shape.

Yes Naruto that is what they were later called.

These Celestials started to gain the characteristics most common to a greater number of the creations. Order took the shape and form of a woman of incomparable beauty, while Chaos took the form of Man with incomparable ugliness. The being, decided that it too would take on a more recognizable form, it grew no supremely distinguishable features, but instead it merely formed a head, arms, and legs, its form could be likened to a silhouette.

After clamping Order's mouth shut, It told the two others to watch the progeress of the first of the firsts. They were solving the problems that all three had taken note of on their own. But among these creatures there were those that specialized in one problem and found a solution to it, their understanding of the solution was superior to all others. But unlike the Celestials, that were Everlasting, these creatures were mortal. Their bodies were tied to the world they lived in.

You know of where the souls of the departed go, do you not?" Kyonshi asked, but did not let Naruto reply, "Of course you do. But back in those days, the spirits merely moved about. They had no direction, due to them having no guide.

By the time that there were creatures that had solved the problems, each dimension, and in turn, each world was already inhabited by trillions.

After the first one of these specialized souls died, the Being took its soul, and set it apart from the countless other souls moving around. And continued to do so with the others until It had collected millions of each.

Each one was granted a gift from the Being, this gift was logic. Logic far superior and far more advanced than any they could ever come up with. Then they were each given a choice, they were each to pick where they would reside, their choices they were allowed to chose from were: the Heavens, the Underworlds, the Worlds they had lived in, the remnants of the void, within the energies, or lastly in all.

Each of these souls chose a place, before being sent to their choice they were told of their responsibilities, these souls were later dubbed as the Enlightened Ones, for all intents and purposes, these were also dubbed as the Gods, the Powers That Be, the Almighties, the..." before Kyonshi was able to continue spouting out terms and titles he was hid on the head with a pineapple, that fell out of no where.

"_**Get on with the story already!**_" said a voice that resounded and echoed in his head.

"Could you repeat that last part?" Naruto asked while looking at his notes, "The Gods, the Powers That Be, and the something, and you were going to say something after that, but I'm not sure. So could you please start over from the part about the Gods?"

"You're actually taking notes?" Kyonshi asked staring at Naruto's little notepad.

"Uhm, yeah. You might test me on this stuff later."

"Naruto, you really don't need to take notes, I'm not going to quiz you later about these stuff."

"Oh, I think I'll keep taking notes, for all I know you could be lying or something."

"Suit yourself. Now then, where was I.." he paused thinking, then continued, "Ahh yes. Now after these Enlightened Ones were appointed their positions, they were also given immortality, they would exist as they were for as long they were needed, and or were believed to exist.

You see, my young apprentice, belief is a powerful thing.

Eons passed, and more passed and more and more and more and.." Kyonshi was unable to continue rambling due to him having to dodge another pineapple, but getting hit in the gut be a soccer ball sized coconut. Avoiding the another headache caused by a voice he hadn't heard in years speaking directly to his soul, he quickly resumed his tale.

"Anyways, after a really long time, some world had destroyed themselves, some dimensions had crumbled, some unverses had imploded, and others of these things and more experienced many more other things. The point is, things changed over time.

One day, all the Enlightened Ones gathered together, simply put they had a meeting. Their topic: Moving forward or Restart. There were those that chose the first, others that chose the second, but there was one that decided to chose both. Keep the world, while at the same time restarting it. They would need to gain the aid of their creators.

Which after much contemplation and meditation they were able to contact. Its not like the Celestials were hard to contact, it was not like the Celestials were unaware of their plight, but the Celestials wanted the Enlightened Ones to experience hardship, these things build character after all.

The Celestial, simply known as the Being with a capital "B", divided all the spaces, dimensions, universes, worlds, creatures, etcetera into three. One third It set to one side, one third It placed opposite of the first, and the third It took between It's hands and crumpled up, jumbled up, mixed up, basically turned it into mush, and placed it in between the other two thirds.

It then ordered the Enlightened Ones to watch over the ones that they wanted to, but these could only come from one of the two thirds, not both, and not the center one.

The Enlightened One which chose wanted two things to happen, was set aside. Hia task was to be told to him later.

Once all the other Enlightened Ones had made their choices, Order took over. She arranged the cosmos on both sides. Chaos then joined Order in clean up duty. He pulled strings of essence from the center third, and attached one string to each of the things found on each side of the center mass.

Once the two younger and more immature Celestials had finished with their work, the Being once again took charge, It gathered the remnants of the void from each side and added more of Its power into them, and splashed the newly powered void pieces around, everywhere, the Being had forced Itself, as well as It's two companions into being a part of the reformed Void.

It then ordered Order to merge once more with the void, but allowed her to still keep her consciousness, she would from that moment onwards play a more active role in everything, the same thing with Chaos.

Finally almost everything that had to be done was done, the only thing remaining was the center piece. The remaining third. The Being poured more than a handful of Its power into the last Enlightened One, then told him, that the remaining third of All Things was his to do whatever he wanted to, except let it pass on into nonexistence. After giving this final instruction, the Being merged Itself with the Void, a large chunk joining with the ball at the center of it all.

The only one left was the Enlightened One. So left alone in the Void, he shaped the ball into whatever he wished. Eons more passed, and he witnessed the evolutions of the other things in existence, after more eons of watching the progress around him, he grew envious and lonely, so he formed a world dimension of his own, with only one world in it, his. In it he brought to existence many things from the other world, as well as some things that were uniquely his own.

But there was one thing that he couldn't create, or seem to create: Intelligent or Highly Sentient Life.

This Enlightened One could not create things like humans, and the like. Everything else he could do. But the epitome of creation was the one thing he could not replicate.

After wandering aimlessly around his dimension-world he came across some shadow that were unlike any that he had created. These shadows resembled the Void, except they were more solid somehow. Curious, he walked forward, attempting to walk into one and feel its shape. What he didn't know was that the shadow was not all that solid. But he did find this out after walking through one, and coming out in another world.

He them enthusiastically traversed the world in search of intelligent life, something that could keep him companion, something that could end his loneliness.

After centuries of millenia of searching, he finally came across one, only one, thinking that this one being was as lonely as he, he tried to pull it with him back to his world. But as he arrived back, his would be companion had not arrived with him.

Puzzled at this he sat on the highest point of his world and meditated. The answer came to him in a dream. The dream was sent by the Enlightened One who ruled over or was in charge of that world. It explained that kidnapping was one thing that would not be allowed.

Even with all the power that had been granted to him, the lonely Enlightened One did not have the authority to just take from the other worlds. Kidnapping was not a solution, it was a cheat. But, as the message told, if somehow something or someone from one of the other world wandered or found his world on their own then they could visit or even stay, and become partly his.

This news brought a little joy to him. He was still sad which was because it would likely take a long time for something or someone would find it's way to his world.

But in the meantime, as he waited for a visitor to arrive, he did not notice that some creatures and creations on his own world were evolving. Slowly the first creature that would later become one of his many companions approached him. It was an fox with eight tails.

It spoke to him, asking him if he was lonely sitting at the top of the mountain as he was. Too shocked to answer, he just hugged the creature. Once he was gathered his thoughts, he asked the creature how it had come to be there with him, sitting beside him on his lofty peak.

It told him that it had walked. Then he asked it from where did it walk. It answered from its home a long way down. He asked the creature if it could show him. Which it obliged.

He was astounded to realize that the fox had come from the jungle surrounding his mountain. He may not have been able to create them outright, but somehow, he had created the building blocks for these creatures.

After this first one, he met others that wished to stay with him. So he had to build a home for himself as well as a place for all of them to stay.

Five centuries later, the first visitor from another world had accidentaly found its way into his world. Which the Enlightened One promptly took in. The being was an orphan in the way that his world was literally a world away. After the first more and more came his way, some stayed, some left, some returned, some never did.

Eventually he would learn that the decendants of these companions of his were under his jurisdiction, he could take them from the other worlds, and the other Enlightened Ones could do nothing about it. For in a way, they were part his.

The years and generations went by, and even though he was no longer lonely, he grew bored. Also he did not like to waste things. He had knowledge, and he knew that many would like to know even a fraction of what he knew. He found a new hobby, teaching.

One of the other Enlightened Ones had come to be known as The Original Teacher, some of those that believed in him associated the words "enlightened one" with the word "teacher". So he thought why not, what did he have to lose. Not even time, since he kind of had a hand in that force as well as many others.

So he taught, but not many, he chose his students wisely, but there were those few that were bad eggs, he just didn't know it yet.

He wanted to be surprised in life so he blocked off his ability to see all, his ability to being omniscient and all that he blocked, this was also so that he could be closer to his companions.

So, any question?" Kyonshi ended his tale.

Naruto raised his hand.

"Anyone?"

Naruto started to wave his hand, and said "Me! Me!"

Pointing at Naruto, who was in front of him, "Yes, you up in front."

"So, what is the food of the gods?"

"Next question!" Kyonshi said after falling out of his chair and getting back on it.

"Err, who is the Enlightened One..?"

"Eh?!" Kyonshi was shocked at the question, '_How dense can this gaki be? Maybe I should have him create some of those scholar clones of his_' he thought to himself.

Suddenly realizing that the question was a stupid one Naruto changed his question, "So, what's the next lesson Zombie-sensei?"

"Oh, you're smart again," he said in a calmer manner, "Your next lesson will be about many things. Suffice to say I just need you to create a lot of clones."

Kyonshi stood up and motioned to Naruto to follow him somewhere.

* * *

Naruto followed his sensei through a number of doorways until the pair ended up in a white space. The same white space that Kyonshi and Touken were in after Touken was pulled out of Naruto's gut.

"Naruto, I want you to gather as much chakra as you can, I'll tell you when to stop."

So Naruto formed the ram seal and gathered as much chakra as he could. Soon an aura of light blue started to form around him. The light that had formed around him soon started to cover him like a second skin, it had become like an aura of power.

"Keep going Naruto, you're going to need a lot more than that for what I've got planned."

Naruto had no choice but to continue gathering chakra. His shut his eyes and scrunched up his face in extreme concentration. He just kept gathering what power he had within him. His aura had already turned dark blue. This meant that due to all his shadow cloning, advanced shadow cloning, modified and specialized shadow cloning, his chakra reserves had grown exponentially. At the amount of chakra he had gathered he could probably create a hundred thousand regular shadow clones, or a thousand advanced and modified shadow clones shadow clones, clones that could withstand as much damage as Naruto could before he would pass out, while the clones would poof out of existence. Probably enough chakra had already been generated to create a hundred clones that would be able to stay solid for a few more minutes after being hit by enough hits that would kill Naruto.

"Keep going Naruto, you still got some more power in you."

Naruto concentrated on finding more chakra, but he seemed to be running out of the blue energy. Suddenly in his desperation he tapped into a power he did not know he had. His aura shrunk down to a nearly transparent state. But for some reason he could feel the air pressure around him grow stronger, the gravity felt like it was trying to pull harder on him. He didn't give into the urge to give in, he kept on going, kept on drawing on the power source. Slowly the pressure on his body grew stronger and stronger, as the minutes passed his aura started to become visible, it had trancended from dark blue to light purple.

"Keep at it Naruto, the sooner you gather what I need you to gather the sooner you can continue your training."

Powered solely by his will, Naruto pulled the purple power out of its source, the pull resulted in a flood of power. The power just poured out, flowed out, escaped from its container, like a tsunami the power exploded outwards.

Moments before the explosion, Naruto's aura was completely black, he was covered completely in a solid cocoon of darkness. After the explosion, he along with his clones were shining a blinding white.

"Naruto, you still got some untapped potential in there. Bring it out already!"

Irritated by the order to hurry up, Naruto started to also get frustrated with himself. He couldn't seem to find this well of power that his sensei wanted him to find. He had brought out all the energies that he could find and tap into in his body without intentionally killing himself. He knew his sensei didn't want him to die. But he just couldn't think of anywhere else to look.

'_That's it!_' Naruto thought to himself, he found it, his mind. He recalled that he had heard that the mind was the most dangerous thing in anyone's arsenal. Knowledge is power and all that.

With the knowledge of where he power lay, Naruto simply thought about the power, he did not merely will it, he believed that he had power, that his mind was power, his knowledge was just a part of it. He felt around his mind for what he thought such a power should feel like. When he found the feeling, he grasped it with both his mental hands, and pulled.

The explosion that occurred was powerful enough to have leveled Ta no Kuni had Naruto been there at the moment. With his eyes still shut he did not see how his appearance once again changed. His red outfit turned white outfit had changed colors, same with his hair. His aura had also changed. The glow about him was back to blue, but it was more like a neon to light blue, or rather different hues and shades of blue were glowing as his aura. His hooded trench coat was back to its original color, but his undershirt was no longer red, it had morphed into black, it looked like it was coated in the Void, his pants were still red, and still had their cloud design, but instead of both leg designs being white, only one leg was white, the other morphed into embroidered gold. Everything else remained as they were. Naruto's body's build and other physical features had changed due to all the exercise that he had done since he arrived, he had gained a more athletic build, he had muscles, but he was not bulky like a pro-wrestler, his body was closer to that of his father's, the father that he had yet to realize was his. He looked more like his father now, having lost his whiskers sometime after Touken was separated from him. But with his shapeshifting ability he could easily bring them back. Due to his power boost some runes had appeared along his arms. As well as some seals that had criss-crossed his body.

"Naruto! Do it NOW!" Kyonshi said after the power was gathered, he knew that Naruto couldn't hold all that power for much longer.

"**TAJUU KAGE BUSHIN NO JUTSU!!!**" Naruto screamed while pouring all his gathered power into the technique.

Normally he wouldn't have been able to create the number of clones that he had created. They were all the kind that could remain in existence for a few minutes after death. They numbered in the millions. This would be the only time that he would be able to create that many clones, since this time he was in a severely controlled environment. Kyonshi had helped him maintain control over his power, also Naruto would never again be able to find a space infinite enough to hold that many clones.

After seeing his creations, Naruto just up and fainted from his ordeal. Kyonshi then just snapped his fingers and Naruto's body was once again in the infirmary. He would remain there for the remainder of year one while his clones trained for him. Kyonshi would allow some things other than knowledge to be passed over to Naruto after his first year of training.

Kyonshi would have the clones study a lot more subject, than Naruto's scholar clones had studied previously. He would help Naruto improve on his techique, he would not tell him how to do things in their entirety, rather he would have him figure most of the things out on his own.

* * *

As he left the clones to their tasks Kyonshi left the room with one thought in mind, '_Hyakume, you are so screwed._'

While Naruto trained, Kyonshi would mess with Hyakume's little game. What were a hundred eyes compared to nigh omniscience, as well as omnipotence.

Touken and a number of others would help Kyonshi. While Hyakume more or less only had Ikkaku and Dorotabo.

Ikkaku being a sennin, a more powerful one compared to Jiraiya. This sage had one horn in the center of his forhead. He had dark blue hair, kind of like a certain Hyuuga hieress. Like the Hyuuga he also had pupiless white eyes. He wore a similar garb to Jiraiya, but unlike the Gama Sennin's red coat, Ikkaku's was blue. His weapon of choice was a vicious looking poleaxe, which he either had strapped on his back or held in his hand and used as a staff or walking stick.

* * *

some more reviews would be nice you know...


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 8**

It had already been seven months since Jiraiya had last seen his student. It had also been some time since he met the trio of friends that he was travelling with, so far their wanderings had yielded no answers to the groups' questions. There were only two questions anyway. The priority, in Jiraiya's case anyway, was: Where was Naruto. While the other question was the puzzle and mystery that was Mikio's past.

Kiyomi had allowed Jiraiya to research, write, publish, and sell his books, so long as she made no appearance in any of them. Haru hadn't stopped calling him Ero-sennin. Mikio hadn't stopped consulting the Voice, unless they were too busy doing other things.

Kiyomi was a woman who acted prim, propper, demure, innocent, insance, nuts, and loco, depending on the situation.

Haru continued to act as a happy go lucky idiot most of the time. Often times getting the group into trouble, that Jiraiya and or Mikio would have to get them out of, but that didn't mean that Haru didn't help in thinking up a plan of escape and whatnot. During these times Kiyomi was the only liability, or something like that, seeing as she was usually somehow away from most of the more dangerous events that happened to cross paths with the group.

Mikio was the brains of the group, he handled everything from destination planning, to cooking. Letting Jiraiya lead on occasion, as well as pay for any and most expenses that the group had to pay.

The group of four had yet to encounter Ikkaku, who Jiraiya learned was actually named Ikkaku Sennin, his first name first and last name last, and subsequently it was also his title. The Ikkaku three of the members of the group knew was the actual Ikkaku Sennin, the one-horned rishi himself, of course he only had the one horn, everything else was different from what the usual description of him was.

So that was it, the group were just wandering aimlessly, going here and there and everywhere. Only meeting with Jiraiya's contacts every once a week, at random places all over the continent.

So far almost every week was an adventure. One of these adventures happened not two weeks after leaving Kiyomi's home.

* * *

As the group was travelling through one of the many caves in Hora no Kuni, Kiyomi was walking ahead of the group, leaving the three men behind.

Jiraiya did not feel any threats where they were and allowed Kiyomi to just walk ahead of them. There weren't many things that could hide from one of the Densetsu no Sannin.

Mikio was mentally conversing with the Voice, do he did not really pay attention to where he was going, but he knew that he was walking behind the Gama Sennin.

Haru on the otherhand had taken to bouncing on the walls of the cave, as well as swinging from stalactite to stalactite like a monkey.

They had been walking through the cave when suddenly the stalactite that Haru had grabbed onto cracked. He and the piece of limestone fell to the ground in an echoing and resounding crash. All four humans in the cave stood still. After a miinute of two of not moving, and nothing happening they just called it a close call. Haru's little mishap had not caused anything bad to happen to the group.

Kiyomi was the first one to see daylight and left the cave. But once she did, what should have happened after Haru's fall occurred. As if delayed by some supernatural force, the cave started to shake, it was like an earthquake had chosen to strike, thankfully Kiyomi was already outside away from the danger. But unfortunately the three men were still some ways away from the exit of the cave. Pumping all the chakra he could spare into his legs Jiraiya made a run for it. When he was nearing the cave exit he glanced back, only to find his other two companions rooted to the spot. So he ran back to get them. Had he chosen not to go back for them he would have escaped from the cave unscathed.

Once the Sennin reached his companions the cavern floor gave way, and fwoosh all three men fell in, along with the ceiling of the cave.

"AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" was the girly scream that escaped all three men's lips as they fell into a bottomless pit of darkness.

A giant booming sound was made when the three companions and some of the ceiling hit rock bottom. All three had somehow miraculously survived the fall.

It was four hours later that all three simultaneously began to stir. The first one to regain total control of his mind and body as well as assess the situation was Jiraiya. The second one was Mikio, who was panicking more than anything. The last and definitely the least was Haru, who had foregone the assessing of the situation and gone straight for the panicking part.

An hour later Jiraiya was calmer having assessed the situation. The group was several hundred feet below sea level. How he knew this was because after walking a ways away he encountered a river, but not any river he wanted to ever come across in an unexplored part of a cave. This river was one of magma. But for some reason, the trio could were still alive even while being so close to one of these monsters. Also there was an apparent lack of sulfur in the air, which was fine and peachy and definitely ok, but was still weird.

Mikio after seeing Jiraiya return from his little recon mission, called out to him, and informed him of a worrying development.

"Ero-sennin, there seems to be a problem, the Voice is not responding to me. Its as if He is being blocked soemhow, or is somehow unable to aid us."

"Great, Just when we needed a bit of his guidance," Jiraiya said, "Did he say anything before he left you?"

"No, we were just talking about where we should head for next, but he did say something about almost being found out or something."

"Well, then I guess we'll have to find our own way back to Kiyomi, and the surface."

While the two were talking Haru had stopped rocking on his ass curled in a foetal position, and decided to wander off, which was a bad thing in itself.

While Jiraiya and Mikio were planning on how to proceed, or go about their situation, Haru was wadering farther and farther away from them.

After several minutes of walking around, Haru had already passed by or jumped over many magma rivers. While doing this he did not notice that he was being watched. He was not alone, there was something watching him from underneath the rivers' surfaces.

Being as ignorant as he was, for some reason, he decided to see if he could skip stones on the magma river surface. He chucked some stones at the river, just to see the stones, rocks, and whatnot melt into the river. He tried doing this at different locations. Until he was finally able to make one rock bounce.

But the rock did not bounce of the river, it bounced off of a rock island in the middle of one river. Making that attempt not count as skipping stones. So he tried again. Every now and then he would bounce a rock on the island. He probably hit the island more than a hundred times.

After the most recent bounce, the island started to shake and shiver, as if some little volcano was about to erupt. Obviously Haru was oblivious to this event, and just continued to try and skip stone without much success.

Jiraiya and Mikio had come up with a plan, they would try and drill upwards by using some long distance Jutsus, like wind bullet and the like. Then if any magma would fall out of the hole or holes they would use Suiton Jutsus to get rid of the burning stuff.

But before they could enact their plan, they heard screaming, the sound kept growing louder and clearer as their source quickly made its way closer to the two. The two men then stared at the direction that the sound was coming from.

Then suddenly the what the screamer was saying was incredibly clear, seeing as the two men were being dragged or carried by Haru.

"GOTTA RUN! GOTTA RUN! GOTTA RUN!" he was screaming, "GOTTA ESCAPE! ITS GONNA KILL US! AHHH!!"

Jiraiya and Mikio who were facing the opposite direction as they were being dragged, saw that which was chasing Haru, and by proximity and the like, them.

One of the creatures that were literally in hot pursuit of the three men was a giant kabuto mushi. Its shell looked to be made out of rock, but between the joints and under the wings, the molten rocks that made up the rest of its body could clearly be seen. Several creatures that were flying in hot pursuit of the three men were giant hachi, or bees, due to their colors it could easily be seen that they too were made out of molten rock.

Haru was really flooring it, the speed that he was running at could rival Maito Gai's running speed without wearing any weights. He was quickly nearing a wall, which technically should be a dead end. His companions were to busy reciting prayers to the many kami and other divine entities they knew to notice this. But instead of decelerating Haru just kept going, he was actually accelerating, moving closer and closer to the wall, and when he was about to hit the wall jumped, and started to jump from one wall to another. He was like a speed freak or more like a pinball. His pursuers had to pause just to watch their target bounce around. Then they followed him at a much slower pace, sort of. The flying ones just continued flying upwards, while the beetle, and the others that could not or would not fly started climbing up the walls.

Among these other creatures was a human shaped magma golem, it like its companions was roughly fifteen feet tall. Getting frustrated at being unable to reach its quary the golem, and the other molten creatures started throwing or basically sending fireballs and balls of molten rock at Haru and friends.

Haru kept dodging all the attacks, the attacks always narrowly missed him. His companions were now reciting prayers and the like to the Shinigami, they were asking him to take them away. The Shinigami was too busy elsewhere to listen to their pleas.

While Haru was acting like a pinball he noticed the state in which his companions were in and stopped screaming, and got a serious look on his face.

"Get your act together guys," he said to the two men, "While I find a way out of here, you two counter-attack, and ward of or block any of the things that come too close to us."

Realizing the reality of their situation, the two men decided to implement their many years of experience and knowledge and began supporting their rapidly running pal.

"Suiton: Mizurappa!" was yelled by the two men, after which they quickly spat out jets high pressure water at their pursuers. They attempted to harden the molten monsters, with torrents of water.

It seemed to be working somewhat, the monsters were hardening in some parts. Their burning passion was dying on some parts. It was these parts that the two men were conentrating on. The molten parts having been turned into stone became slightly brittle, which is something that Jiraiya and Mikio exploited. Limbs, wings, and the occasional head, were shattered. This made the pursuers even madder, which in turn made them faster, and made their attacks more frequent.

The monsters were gaining on the men, but Haru did not seem to be running out of steam. Same thing for his support crew.

The group had been travelling around the underworld for several hours, never noticing the time that was flying by, or dragging on. After surviving their ordeal, they would each get an earful from Kiyomi, as well as the feeling of lacking sustenance which was sure to make itself known once things had died down.

But those things were not yet going to happen anytime soon. The three men had come upon a problem that they had to immediately solve, a wall was coming up that they could not just ricochet off of onto another wall, because there was no longer another wall.

So both men bent their heads backwards as far as their necks would allow and started to quickly go through a seal sequence.

"Futon: Renkuudan!" both men yelled, then they quickly sucked in as much air as their lungs and gut could hold, then slammed their fists into their own guts and chests to force the air out of their mouths. The air that escaped their lips took the form of drilling projectiles that were made out of air, these bullets then carved a hole through the wall. Both men continued this process until they reached the otherside.

When they reached the other side they were met with caverns, tunnels, walls, and the like, and since they were still being pursued, the two men resumed their counter-attacks, blocks, and the like, while Haru just kept on running.

Their pursuers were not losing any steam, they didn't seem to tire, it was as if some outside force was pumping them full of energy, and forcing them to go and beat the living out of the three men.

Haru was zipping here and there and everywhere in the space beyond the wall. While it seemed like the molten creatures were everywhere, it looked like there were more of them now, than there were at the beginning of the chase.

Haru's support crew was starting to lose power, their chakra stores were slowly being emptied by the constant use of the stuff, while Haru still did not show any sign of weakening.

As he was running, bouncing, and whatever, Haru failed to notice one small little tiny piece of rock on the ground. His ignorance cost him and his companions dearly. Since Haru did not notice the thing, he tripped on it, which subsequently sent him and his two companions tumbling to the ground.

As the three men were getting their bearings back, they noticed that they were being surrounded on all sides by the molten monsters. But as they were about to surrender, to give up, to accept that there was nothing more that they could do. Just as they were about to curl up into the foetal position, a cracking sound was heard. It didn't come from the monsters, because even they stopped moving, they started looking around, searching for the source of the sound.

As the monsters' attention was focused on searching for the source of the sound, the three men, decided that that was their chance to flee. So they started to crawl away from center of the monsters.

But as they were about to get away from all of the monsters, one of the monsters, the single humaoid of the group, noticed them. It alerted the others to what the three men were about to do.

But before the monsters were able to converge on the three men there was another louder cracking sound. All those present in the underground place looked at the source, which was clearly visible. It was a visible crack in the ground where the three men previously occupied.

The cracking sound did not go away, it just continued. As the sound continued to be heard by all present, the crack on the ground was also growing.

Before any of those present could react or do anything, the ground where the first crack appeared exploded outwards, showering all those present in rock fragments. The molten monsters started to panic for some reason. The three men found out what the reason was when molten rock started to gush out of the hole in the ground. More and more of the stuff was escaping, or trying to escape from the hole.

The three men obviously wouldn't be able to survive if they were drenched in the stuff. The three men knew this as fact, but they were wondering why the monsters were panicking. The magma wouldn't be able to harm them, or would it. The answer to this question was answered when one of the monsters was hit by the gushing magma. The monster did not visibly get hurt, but the monster visibly panicked more than before. The three men were awestruck by what they were witnessing. The things were being hit by their own element, they thought that this would regenerate them, not cause them to show fear.

But instead of trying to escape again, since the panicking monsters had created many openings, the three men sat stock still on the ground. They were to shocked and scared to move.

The hole in the ground just kept getting wider and wider, but instead of the gushing growing weaker, it grew stronger. Compared to a dripping faucet, the flow of magma was no longer a single dripping drop, there was no more faucet.

A deep rumbling sound had replaced the cracking sound. Instead of the hole just growing bigger there were cracks in the ground starting to form everywhere. In some places the cracks had already turned into holes spewing the more than boiling mass of molten rock.

Mikio then noticed that below their collective asses was a crack, a crack that was growing longer, and for some reason was surronding the trio, forming a circular shape around them. Before he could report this finding to his two companions, their world went from a mere mixture of molten and solid rock, with the occasional monster here and there, to a world surrounded by molten rock. The three men also felt as if they were being propelled upwards.

"AhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" was the word coming out of the mouths of the three men as they were being propelled upward.

After a few minutes of screaming the men noticed that they had gone sky high, appearing above some clouds. Then they felt it, the pull of gravity.

"AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" the screaming began anew.

The three men were experiencing what it felt like to fall from the sky. As they began their descent, they started to feel as if they were encased in a shell of fire. Jiraiya realized that they were actually encased in a shell of fire. So he quit screaming and fished out his notepad and started taking notes. He was going to preserve this experience by including it in his next book, somehow.

Some time later they found themselves in a crater. Mikio was the first of the three who made it out of the crater. He saw that a few feet from the crater was Kiyomi with the rest of their stuff laid out.

Once Jiraiya saw this, he just stared, Haru doing the same thing.

"The Voice apologized for being unable to contact me, he said that he was experiencing some connection issues, as if something was blocking him, or interfering with the connection," Mikio informed the group once they were all sitting around the fire that Kiyomi had started.

"So, Kiyomi," Haru said, "How'd you know we'd be popping out over here?"

"Huh?," Kiyomi answered, "Tou-san sent me a messenger pigeon carrying a note saying to expect you to arrive here. So I went here and made camp."

"How'd your Tou-san know that we'd be here?" Jiraiya asked.

"He musta seen you guys."

"Ya see Ero-sennin, Kiyomi-chan's Tou-san is this really cool guy, who's been travelling around the world looking for his students, seeing as he's always wandering the world, he musta seen us up in the sky, and calculated our tradjectory and stuff, and sent that note to Kiyomi-chan once he found the coordinates," Haru informed Jiraiya.

"Oh."

"The Voice says that indeed, Kiyomi's Tou-san figured out where we would land."

"Oh."

"Guys, the food's gonna get cold!" Kiyomi said.

"Oh."

"Ero-sennin? You gonna eat or say 'Oh' til you drop from starvation?" Haru asked, already digging in with extreme gusto.

"Oh.." Jiraiya said, "I mean I'm gonna eat," he then grabbed a plate and got some food and dug in.

Mikio followed suit.

* * *

Four weeks after leaving Tani no Kuni, the group found themselves wading in one of the many marshes of Numa no Kuni, where once again Kiyomi was walking ahead of the boys.

Jiraiya and Mikio were discussing the pros and the cons of wading in the muck of the marsh as compared to the pros and cons of walking on the surface of the waters of the marsh.

Haru was being his usual self, he was running around the two men, with his somewhat never emptying well of energy he was running circles around the two men. He was trying to create a whirlpool, with the two men in the middle of it, and once Kiyomi was on dry ground he got his wish.

After Kiyomi left the muck, a whirlpool formed with the three men in the middle of it. Unfortunately for the three men they did not realize that they were being sucked into the marsh, until it was too late.

"AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" was the girly scream that escaped all three men's lips.

The whirlpool had sucked them under and into something that normally they would have found fun, if not for the abruptness, they were dumped on a really fast moving water slide. Haru in front, Mikio in the middle, and Jiraiya bringing up the rear.

The slide was long, it went on until forever, or at least the three thought that it did. It had sharp turns, long turns, quick turns, slow turns, sudden drops, loop de loops, hoops, corkscrews, hills, etcetera. The three men went up, down, round and round, inside out, here, there, everywhere. They went through walls, corridors, doors, windows, tunnels, waterfalls, crackers, cracks, a molten monster, a flock of chickens, another wall, another door, another chicken, a big chicken, a glass wall, etcetera. They criss crossed with other slides who's riders were anything but human. The three men encountered more chickens, roosters, cows, bulls, Naruto clones, someone that looked like Ikkaku Sennin, avocados, pineapples, apples, oranges, lizards, sheep, goats, rams, a dragon, a molten monster, three molten monsters, a thing that sounded like the Voice, something that looked like Kiyomi in a bathing suit, an Icha Icha novel, Pakkun, Gamabunta, Manda, a herd of ushi-oni, a few cranes, the original Gama Sennin, Shima, and many other things. Some of these other things were wrenches, monkey wrenches, hammers, armor, katana, kunai, the kitchen sink, a toilet, a shower head, a house, and many other household appliances. These other things weren't riding the other slides per say, they were flying over and under the three men, always seeming to narrowly miss them by just a few centimeters.

This was more than the three men could take, so they did the only thing they could collectively think of: they enjoyed the ride.

Of course, once they did do that, things got a bit more hairy, not literally but figuratively, the things that were narrowly missing them started to actually hit them every now and then. The creatures that they would bump into or encounter on occasion would try and take a piece of them as a souvenir. The things they crashed into or crashed through became harder and harder. The walls became thicker, the doors became sturdier, the windows were made of bulletproof glass, the flocks of chicken became flocks of chickens that were chasing buckets of tar.

After experiencing this and being unable to think straight due to the barrage of objects and animals, the three men decided to return to screaming the living out of themselves like girls. This action instead of causing things to go back to the way they were caused their situation get even worse. Everything that flew at them hit them, everything that came across them broke bones, tore clothes, almost tore of limbs, scratched them, slashed them, almost took their heads of, and everything that they crashed into felt like the boss summon of the rhinocerous contract slammed itself into them.

So the three men decided to go back to enjoying the ride, which once again made things a whole lot worse. So they went back to screaming, which made them wish they were never born. Then they went back to enjoying, which made them wish their parents never met. Then back to screaming, making them wish that their parents were never born. Then back to enjoying, which made them wish that their grandparents had never met. Then back to screaming their throats hoarse, which made them wish that their grandparents had never been born. Then back to enjoying themselves which was getting harder and harder, which made them wish that their ancestors never evolved. Then went back to screaming although less loudly, which made them wish that the missing link in their evolution chain had never existed. Then they started to cheer half heartedly, which made them wish that the dinosaurs still ruled the world. Then they started to just groan, which made them wish that Kami would just up and die for placing them in the situation in the first place, which made them wish that they didnt wish something like that on Kami.

The trio found themselves transported onto different water slides, Haru on the left slide, Mikio on the right slide, and Jiraiya on the middle slide. Their three slides just kept them moving forwards, on and on, just moving forwards. There was nothing around them, no walls, no chickens, no nothing, just well nothing. It was just them, the water, the slides, and nothing. They were slowly getting really unerved and freaked out. They didn't know whether they should be glad, sad, frightened, or whatever, they just kept getting freaked out as every second passed them by.

A few minutes of silence passed, when the three men noticed something up ahead, it looked like one of those sheer drops that they had undergone, but unlike those, there was a stalagmite in the middle of each of their respective water slides, this piece of rock looked like it would hit that which made them men. The three men didn't panic since they were not traveling at a speed that would jeopardize their futures, that was until they started moving at a greater speed than before. They were moving so fast that the thing was getting closer and closer and closer, until it was mere inches from them.

Before they knew it they were screaming like girls again because instead of their assets being smashed against a rock, they were falling again.

A few hours of falling and screaming later, the trio found themselves on an ice slide, which like the water slide had them going through the same experiences over again.

A few different slides later, the trio were spat out of a cave opening and landed with a thump on a patch of snow. Like their last adventure, Kiyomi was a few feet away from them at a campsite, with a fire blazing at its center, as well as food being roasted on top of it.

"Right on time guys!" Kiyomi announced, "Tou-san dropped me off here after he found me crying my eyes out that I lost you guys in Numa no Kuni."

"So, uh, where are we?" Haru asked.

"Yuki no Kuni, we have been gone for two weeks, we should be dead right now, some supernatural force does not want us to die, but Inari-sama who was the closest Kami to us the whole time wants us to experience pains worse than death for some of our wishful thinking. Or so the Voice says.

"Mikio, would you stop doing that, its still freaky," Jiraiya said.

"So, you guys gonna continue to starve or ya gonna eat some grub?" Kiyomi asked the boys.

"Eat," Haru answered and grabbed a plate.

"Eat," Jiraiys replied and dug in.

Mikio was already piling the food on his plate and chowing down before Kiyomi finished her question.

* * *

Two weeks after the slide incident, the four travelers found themselves in touring one of the many tea plantations in Cha no Kuni. This particular plantation allowed the public to tour their facilities and were shown the many processes, procedures, and other things that happened in a tea plantation. This tea plantation was one of many, but among them all this one was second largest plantation in the country, the largest one being the one owned by the Daimyou. This one being owned by the Juushu Corporation which was one of the major players in the food and drink industry, it was also a subsidiary of Rosuto Younen which was a company with a hand in every industry in the continent. This company was bigger than the infamous Gatou Corporation ever was.

The history of the plantation aside, the four travellers were part of the day's plantation tour. The plants that they were being shown at the time was of an experimental variety which combined grapes with one of the subspecies of tea plants that the plantation had on hand. They grew like grapes on vines, but the leaves and the fruit tasted like red tea with a hint of alcohol.

The tour guide and the rest of the tour group found themselves ahead of the three men, Kiyomi being with the tour guide and asking all sorts of questions about the different kinds of tea.

The three men didn't notice that their fourth member was no longer near them. Jiraiya and Mikio were discussing the best way to prepare tea, while Haru was busy poking the vines that were sticking out beyond the fences on both sides of the group.

Haru was also busy trying to get a reaction out of the vines, he thought that they lookes like the tentacles of a green octopus or a squid, and was wanting to do battle with them.

It is safe to say that being an experimental type of tea plant hybrid the plantation staff weren't aware of all the things the things were capable of.

While Haru was poking the things and teasing and insulting the things, he didn't notice that some of the vines that he had poked previously had grown longer and were inching their way towards the group of three.

Haru and friends only noticed the pickle they were in when they were suddenly grabbed from behind by the plants and dragged into the foliage. Their screams were muffled by the leaves that had been shoved into their mouths to gag them, no sound except for muffled screams escaped their lips. Although if they were not gagged their girly screams would have attracted the giant bees that were at that time patrolling the skies above the plantation. That was one of the secrets to success of the plantation that the staff were not allowed to share with the tourists.

These bees were remnants of an age where giant insects had battled for survival from a numerous yet singular foe, and lost, they lost more than their foothold, they also lost some of their will, as well as their intelligence. From something that could rival humans at military strategy, they had been bumped back down to the ranking of mere insects, albeit really big ones. But that was a long time ago, sort of.

The trio soon found that they had been dragged a ways away from the plantation. They realized this realization when they noticed that they were surrounded by trees. Big ones, thick ones, the trunks of these trees were huge. When the three men looked up they could only see shadows, the canopy was that high up. But what they were standing in was another matter. It looked like grass, only taller. The vines had left them in the company of green, green, and more green.

"The Voice is not responding."

"This lookes like one of those mythical forests in Mori no Kuni."

"You've been to a mythical forest?" Mikio asked Jiraiya.

"Well, something like it."

"Where?"

"Myoubokuzan, where the Gama clan live."

"Ah, your home away from home, or something like that, yes?"

"Yes."

"So, where do you think Haru went?" Mikio noticed that Haru had already wandered away from the two conversing men.

Jiraiya started to jog in place, and to some stretching excercises.

"What are you doing Ero-sennin?"

"You know Haru, he's probably gonna come rushing by us or something with a bunch of really dangerous creatures following him trying to kill the three of us for who knows what reason."

"You're right. I'll join you shall I," and so Mikio joined Jiraiya with warming up for the chase that both men were sure would occur once Haru returned to their presence.

Haru had wandered off, farther away from the other two as he usually did. Which usually got him, and them into all sorts of trouble. Usually it was with other people, but sometimes it was with things that even he could not explain or even begin to understand.

As he was walking deeper into the deeper parts of the long grass he failed to notice numerous pair of eyes watching his every move. These were eyes that showed a deep and profound interest in Haru. These eyes were hungry eyes. These eyes were eyes of creatures that had not been able to find food for days. These were the eyes of creatures who's nests were a few feet in front of Haru.

Haru being completely oblivious to his surroundings accidentally stepped on an egg. He heard the crack and looked down at his shoe, and proceeded to wipe off the gunk that had gotten onto it. This was when his brain suddenly started working again, after days of not being used properly. He realized that he had stepped on an egg, and where there was one egg, there would be more eggs, and where there were more eggs, there would be a nest, where there would be a nest there would be a mama bird. So he turned around and found himself face to face with the mama bird, that was not a bird.

The bird that was not a bird was looked to be at least ten feet long from beak end to tail end. When it smiled it beautiful smile at Haru it showed it set of really sharp teeth, teeth that could easily slice into Haru. These birds that were not birds were big. More and more of the things started popping out of the woodwork. But before they could sink their teeth into him, Haru did what Haru does best. He ran like a madman with bats out of hell nipping at his heels. As he ran past his two companions he did not need to drag them along, they were already prepared, they were alrady jogging in place.

The three men ran, even with the aid of chakra they could not shake their pursuers. Those things were just too damn fast.

Suddenly Mikio tripped on a root, that he hadn't noticed in his haste. As he waited for death, it did not come, the creatures just ran past him, he clearly saw the razor sharp claws on their feet as they ran past.

'_Those things look like meat hooks_' was the thought that swiftly went through his mind.

Noticing that Mikio was not running alongside them, Jiraiya glanced back and saw that Mikio had tripped, and so he turned back to go get him, he expected that he would have to bat away some of these large lizard like things.

It didn't happen like he thought it would, the things just ran past him, and chased after the now ricocheting off different trees Haru. Haru must have done something really bad to have more than seventy of the things want to shed his blood.

But the two men didn't get to rest from their short run for long, for they too found themselves with a pack of things wanted to take a bit out of them. Standing above the were three salivating creatures that looked like the more than seventy things chasing Haru. These things looked to be at least twenty three feet tall, fifty feet long, and appeared to weigh at least sixteen thousand pounds. These three things were huge.

But before they could drop down and munch on the two men, the two men ran for it leaving afterimages in their wake. The three giants then ran after them.

They had been running around the forest for quite some time. They stopped for nothing. Jiraiya didn't even notice the appearance of an army of Naruto clones that passed by. If he had he would have been able to find his lost student, but alas he found his continued existence more important than such trivial things.

Sometime during the chase the creatures had driven the three men to the edge of a cliff, a cliff covered by a dense fog. As the creatures started to close in on the three, the three took some steps back, Haru being the first one to notice the cliff that lay behind them.

But before anything more dangerous could happen to the three human, the creatures ran away from the spot that they were closing in on.

"What do you guys think scared them off?" Haru asked.

"Something that it far worse, something that must ba a lot bigger, meaner, scarier, hungrier than them," Mikio stated.

"Guys," Jiraiya pointed at a nearby bush, "That bush is shaking."

The three men prepared to stand their ground and fight valiantly, when out of the bush walked an old man with a sack of rice being dragged behind him, the three men promptly facefaulted.

"W-who are you?" Haru impolitely asked after he got back on his feet.

"Me?" the old man pointed at himself, "Shouldn't you introduce yourselves first?"

"Oh, right, my apologies, I'm Haru."

"I'm Mikio."

"And I'm Jiraiya."

"Nice to meet you three, I am called Dorotabo. That is both my name and clan name."

The old man then took a seat on the sack of rice he was carrying.

"So, what are you three doing all the way out here?"

"Haru, Ero-sennin, let me do all the talking, just go play poker or something til the adults are done talking."

Jiraiya and Haru then went a ways away from the two and whipped out a deck of cards and began playing Go-Fish.

"The answer to my question?"

"Ahh, right sorry about that," Mikio said, "We were touring a tea plantation in Cha no Kuni when we were suddenly dragged out here by some vines. Then we were chased by hungry animals. Finally I am here talking to you. Why did they run off when you arrived?"

"Oh, hmm, I don't really know," Dorotabo paused, "Maybe because they're afraid of rice or something. Hehe."

"Maybe, or maybe you are stronger than you look."

"Or maybe your Voice's presence has returned."

"H-h-how do you know about him?"

"He sent me here to find you and send you back to Cha no Kuni, Kiyomi is starting to get worried."

"How do you know Kiyomi?"

"She is a friend of my friend."

"Who is your friend?"

"Ikkaku Sennin."

"That Honored Sage is your friend too.."

"Yes, he is. But back to the reason that I'm here," Dorotabo said, "I'm here to send you back, its dangerous for you to be here. You are not equipped with the nescessary skills to survive here."

So Dorotabo threw his sack of rice at Mikio, which sent him over the edge of the cliff, then teleported behind the two playing goofs and pulled a rake out of nowhere and hit them over the edge.

"Bye!!!"

"AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" was the girly scream that escaped their lips.

After three hours of falling, the three men landed in women's side of the onsen of the hotel that they were staying in in Cha no Kuni. Unfortunately Kiyomi and a bunch of other women were in the bath at the time.

AaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhHHHHH!!!!" was the girly scream that escaped the three men's lips that were seen and heard running away from the horde of women that were chasing them with all sorts of blunt and sharp objects. Kiyomi at the head of the group of enraged females.

"Jiraiya!" Haru shouted, "Somehow this is your fault!!"

"Haru!" Mikio shouted, "I think you might be responsible too!!"

"You two!" Jiraiya shouted, "Shut up and concentrate on running!!!"

The trio of men, even though they were men, were unable to get away from the rampaging horde of women.

In the shadows of a building near to their bleeding, beaten, and battered forms stood a figure that watched them intently.

'_Tis not yet the right time to meet up with them. The creepy one has yet to remember who he once was._'

* * *

Haru really had a knack for getting Jiraiya and Mikio into situations that they would not normally get into. Another one of these situations occurred two weeks after the forest adventure, the three men had left Kiyomi at a hotel in Tori no Kuni that was sponsoring a cooking convention, while they went off to find an empty field where they decided to train and spar for a while. But unfortunately for them, they had Haru with them.

Haru decided to try and see how big a hole he could make if he put almost all his available chakra into his arm and fist, which he did, then he punched the middle of the temporay training ground.

Jiraiya and Mikio stopped sparring and stared, the whole empty field was turned into a crater.

"AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" was the girly scream that once again escaped their lips as they fell into the darkness.

Sometime later the trio found themselves in a closet. A locked closet. They also started to hear footsteps getting closer to the closet. They knew it was a closet because there were clothes in it.

"Hey guys," Mikio whispered, "The Voice says that even though he can talk to me right now, we're on our own..again."

"Thats nice to know Mikio," Jiraiya whispered back.

"I'm scared Mikio," Haru whimpered.

Without warning the closet was opened.

"Aaaahhh!!!" a real girl screamed at seeing the three men in her closet.

The three then found themselves with the pointy parts of spears inches away from their faces. They were surrounded by soldiers, or the guards of the girl or woman that had screamed.

After telling their as to how they got themselves in closet in the first place, the spear points disappeared from in front of their faces, and the three men were led to a sitting room, and refreshments were brought out.

"So, let me get this straight. You three," she pointed at the three men, "We're out training in some open field, when," she pointed at Haru, "You, punched the ground and created a hole, which the three of you fell in, and somehow found yourselves in my closet. Is that right?"

"Yes ma'am, that is exactly what happened," Mikio replied.

"Sounds plausible, stranger things have happened in this country."

"So, uhm, if you don't mind me asking, where in the world are we?" Haru asked.

"You are in my home in the capital city of Rosuto no Kuni."

"Rosuto no Kuni? Land of the Lost?" Jiraiya wondered out loud.

"Yes, weird name isn't it."

"Somehow I think it fits," Haru said.

"Why do you say that?" Mikio asked.

"Well, for one thing, we've never heard of it, another thing is that 'We' technically are 'Lost'."

"That sounds logical," Jiraiya said, "Haru, where'd your brain come from?"

"Uhm...do I need to give you 'The Talk' Ero-sennin?"

"Wha..?!" Jiraiya's eyes figuratively popped out of their sockets, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I dunno, you tell me."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I didn't catch your names.."

"My apologies ma'am..I'm.." Mikio started to say but was interrupted.

"It is miss, not madame."

"Miss," Mikio said, "I am Mikio, a pleasure to meet you miss."

"I am Myoboku Jiraiya of Konohagakure no Sato's Densetsu no Sannin" Jiraiya said, stood up and bowed low.

"I am Asahi Haru, I am a wanderer of sorts," Haru said, then he too stood up, bowed, but instead of sitting back down like Jiraiya, he took the woman's hand with his own, brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

"Oh my, a gentleman," she said, "Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Shokon Megumi."

Megumi was a young woman, who looked to be in her mid to late twenties. Her hair was a rich mahogany, her eyes shined like saphires, her lips were full and of a soft pink color, and had cream colored skin. She wore a lavender kimono.

Before their conversation could continue, there was a knock at the door, which Megumi told to enter the room.

"Megumi-sama, Kazuo-sama is here to see you," the servant said.

"Send him in here then."

"Hai, Megumi-sama."

Moments later a young man entered the room, knelt before Megumi and kissed her hand, got up and stood before the trio.

"Hello, I am Giman Kazuo," he introduced himself.

Kazuo was a young man who was in his early thirties, he had jet black hair, yellow eyes, an athletic build, and a tanned complexion. He wore a black kimono, as well as black hakama pants, on his feet he wore black tabi socks and black zori sandals.

He faced Megumi and said, "When I heard from your guards that someone had broken into your house, I rushed here as fast as I could. I was so worried."

"You needn't have worried so much Kazuo. As you can see these three are no threat to me, and they mean me no harm."

"You say that now, but I have noticed that this frog faced one beside me has been staring at your ample chest, and not at your lovely face."

Jiraiya then found himself kissing the floor thanks to Haru whacking him soundly on the head. Haru had been sitting on the floor infront of Mikio, so that Mikio could watch him and make sure he didn't get them into trouble.

"It is refreshing to be admired by some random lecher."

"The last man who looked at you like that ended up a enuch."

"That was because that sennin set him up to it."

"Uhm...excuse me...but which sennin are you two talking about?" Mikio asked.

"Ikkaku Sennin," both Megumi and Kazuo answered.

"So he's been here too.."

"You know _that_ sennin?" Megumi asked.

"Yes, I know him, Jiraiya knows of him, and Haru is one of his dear friends," Mikio replied.

"Oh, not that many people know him personally. I'm glad to have met you," Megumi said.

"I too am glad," Kazuo stated, "Now, tell me where he is hiding."

"Sorry Kazuo-san, but that guy never tells us where he goes," Haru said.

"Ah, Kazuo, before I forget, they need a way to get back to Tori no Kuni. Do you think you could help them?"

"I..well.." he looked at the three men, "I'll see what I can do. I'll have to pull some streings and stuff..I'll see what I can do."

After saying that he bid them farewell and left.

"Uh, Megumi, why did he act all flustered about helping us get back to Tori?" Mikio asked.

Megumi sighed before answering, "There is a law that says that no one may pass, above or below the boundaries of Rosuto no Kuni, but this rule has a few exceptions. I think you are one of these."

"Oh, so in the mean time, where will we be staying?" Mikio asked.

"I'll have some rooms prepared for your use," she said, "You may explore the rest of my clan compound, but do not leave the compound walls."

"Understood," Mikio said.

"Got it," Jiraiya agreed.

"Sure thing," Haru stated.

"Good, then I'll see you later tonight for dinner, its only two in the afternoon, enjoy exploring"

The four of them then parted ways, Jiraiya went off in search of an onsen, Mikio went off in search of a library, and Haru went off in search for something to do.

* * *

After dinner ended, they all went to their rooms to sleep. All the people, except for Haru. He found something to do. His other companions did not know it, but Haru knew how to play the flute. So since he assumed that everyone else was sleeping, he decided to play a soft and mellow melody, while sitting in one of the branches of a blossoming sakura tree in one of the gardens in the compound.

When he finished playing, he heard some clapping, looking around he found a second floor window open, looking out of it, he saw Megumi smiling at him. So he jumped up to the window, and hung on the wall using chakra.

"That was good, I wish I could play like that," Megumi told Haru.

"Eheh," Haru just scratched the back of his head in mild embarassment, "I wasn't that good."

"Yes you were," she insisted, "I really wish I could play like that."

"If you like," Haru said, "I could come into your room and teach you."

"As long as no one finds out, its fine by me," she said, and bade him to enter through the window, which he did.

* * *

A few hours after breakfast and the whole compound was filled with movement, the members of the Shokon clan were scurrying about here and there, they were all searching for Megumi, who was the clan head. They were searching for her because she didn't eat breakfast with the heads of the minor families within the clan as she usully did. Joining in on the search were Mikio and Jiraiya who were also looking for their missing friend and travelling companion who did not eat breakfast, he has never missed a meal, unless they were running away from whatever was chasing them because of him.

The one place that none of them thought of looking was Megumi's room. Normally, if they were thinking straight, that would have been the first place they would have looked, because it was possible that Megumi had just decided to sleep in. The only person to think of looking for her there had been Kazuo, who did not even know that she was missing. He had arrived sometime after breakfast to find the compound in chaos, and decided to look for Megumi to find out what had happened. So he went to her room. She being an old friend of her's knew that she liked to spend her mornings after breakfast in her room, so he went there straight away.

Jiraiya and Mikio spotted him as he was on his way there, so they asked him where he was heading off to, and he told them. Thinking that maybe Megumi had spotted where Haru had run off to, they went with him.

The sight that greeted them sa Kazuo opened slid aside the door to Megumi's room was that of Megumi being lying on top of Haru. Even though both should be considered as consenting adults, and even though both still had their clothes on, the thought popped up in the minds of the three men would have been categorized in the crazy category had the three men stopped to think and notice the details. But in their shock and panic rational thought had not entered their minds.

'_Shit! If word gets out that she slept with an outsider the Shokon clan is going to lose a lot of honor! And if the Shokon lose honor, the Giman clan will lose some as well by association! Argh! What am I to do???_' were the thoughts running though Kazuo's head.

'_We are so screwed. The Shokon are going to kill us. We are so screwed and its all that airhead's fault! We are so screwed! Voice! Get in here! I need an escape plan! When we get out of this mess I'm gonna kill him them leave him alone in a room with Kiyomi!_' were the thoughts that were running through Mikio's head.

'_WHAT?! HE GOT THE GIRL IN LESS THAN ONE DAY?! WTF?! Why wasn't it me??? Notebook, notebook, must write this down, my next book will have this in it! It'll sell, sell like mad, like how mad that idiot Haru is for doing this to us! If we survive whatever the Shokon are gonna do to us, I'm gonna have Bunta sit on him, Mikio's gonna murder him, Kiyomi's gonna feed the three of us to Inari! We Are So Screwed! Oooh her kimono is showing a bit more skin than nescessary,_' Jiraiya was thinking, he whacks himself on the head for that last thought, '_Must focus! Must think up an escape plan! Let's see..if I summon some toads they'll know I'm a Konoha-nin, that could spell war with Konoha, that would be bad, Tsunade would kill me! GAH! I'm gonna die! We're gonna die! Haru will be the first one to die! ARGH! If he got her pregnant we may never get to leave here!!! Then I'll never find Naruto, and Tsunade will find a way to find me, then she'll castrate me, then she'll kill me, then Mikio'll never get his memory back, then that Voice in his head is gonna make him and us go nuts for letting Haru get us into this mess, then Kiyomi is gonna kill us when she finds out, cause we let Haru get us into this mess. Then Mikio'll kill me cause I made Kiyomi mad, and sad, and SHIT!!! They're all going to kill me!! I'm going to die!!! MOMMY!!!_'

Jiraiya sometimes has an overactive imagination, and sometimes over thinks things. Poor him. After he finished his inner turmoil, he fainted, and drool could have been spotted coming out of his mouth, but unfortunately nobody cared to look at what happened to him. Kazuo, and Mikio were in similar states.

But the concensus of their thoughts were more or less along the same lines: I am going to die.

At half passed noon, the Shokon were about ready to call in some outside help. But the memebers that were about to leave to do that were stopped dead in their tracks when they spotted an awake Megumi sitting in the main receiving area eating some udon, with Haru sitting across her eating some ebi tempura with some agedashi tofu.

Suddenly the two found themselves surrounded by a helluva lot of members of the Shokon clan shouting and simultaneously voicing many different questions. A few minutes later Kazuo, Jiraiya, and Mikio joined the cacaphony of noises.

"SILENCE!" Megumi had had enough of all the shouting and just shouted.

Once everyone quieted down she explained that she slept late and decided to just sleep in. For some reason, even though some members did not want to believe her, thinking that something bad had actually happened to her, decided to just accept her explanation.

Haru explained to his friends that he too was up all night and fell asleep somewhere on the second floor of the main house, and had just woken up, when he bumped into Megumi who asked him to join her for a bit of brunch. Somehow Kazuo, Jiraiya, and Mikio did not believe the duo. But decided to not press the matter and just left the two alone.

* * *

Mikio finally found the library and decided to read up on the history of Rosuto no Kuni.

Mikio had found out that the country was actually made out of nine formerly independent lands, which were unified into a single country slightly more than a thousand years ago. After the unification, walls as tall as some mountains were constructed around the country, and mixture of a dense forest and jungle was grown within a day beyond the walls, the forest-jungle mix went from a foot away from the wall to four hundred forty miles away from that point. The actual borders of the country was actually at the very edges of the fores-jungle mix. All day and night long, the this excessive growth of green was covered in a perpetual blanket of either thick mists or a dense fog. Many countries surrounded it on all of its borders, but one particular country on one of its eastern borders had caught Mikio's interest, it was Kaze no Kuni. One of the formerly independent countries once held onto a part of Kaze no Kuni's vast desert.

The history book that Mikio was reading stated that Rosuto no Kuni had within its borders its own desert, it actually had two of them, the deserts could be found within the Great Barrier, which was what the walls were called. Somehow, whoever unified the nine lands had been able to move an entire desert somewhere else.

The book also continued to discuss and explain that the country had every single kind of terrain imaginable. Every kind of land mass could be found within its borders, almost every kind of body of water too, the only ones that were not available were the sea and the ocean, anything else, one would be able to find if he or she knew where to look.

The book suggested some books if the reader wanted to find out what different flaura and fauna could be found in the country, but Mikio decided that he only wanted to know more about the history of the country and the country as a whole in general.

As he continued to read, Mikio found out that the country had regional governors, only some of which being descendants of former daimyou clans. The ranking system of the government was split into two groups: the ruling class, and the working class. This was a common system shared by the other countries. The working class was made up of the commoners. While the ruling class was further divided into five groups. The first group consisted of only one clan, with apparently only one member, the founder of the country.

How the founder of the country had lived for so long, the book had no clear explanation, only speculations and theories, one of these being that he had befriended a kami, which granted him immortality. Another theory was that after founding the country he had attained an enlightened state and became a sennin. Another theory was that the single member was actually many people, they just didn't want the people to know that. Yet another theory was that the founder, whose name was not mentioned in the book, walked in and out of time. There were more than a hundred other theories.

This first group was known as the Daimyou class, the daimyou's clan was known as the Juushu clan.

The second group was known as the Court class, which consisted of the nine governing families, their power was second only to the daimyou. The nine clans were the Shokon, Giman, Genri, Kuraku, Hyakume, Tabou, Tokage, Musha, and Noufu. These nine were the clans incharge of running the nine provinces of Rosuto no Kuni. The clan was not nescessarily the provincial governor. But the position was assigned by the clan head.

The third group was known as the Lower Noble class. This group was made up of the nine lesser noble clans, these were the clans of the former daimyou clans of the nine lands. The book stated that they had only recently gained back some of their prestige. These nine clans were allowed to retain their noble status in honor of the fact that their ancestors were able to keep their lands safe from invasion and keep their people happy and content. These nine clans were the Kazan, Sanjou, Kugai, Hakugai, Dokugaku, Chokugan, Ichida, Kakushidate, and Ginou.

The book Mikio was reading summarized the events that led to the unification, as well as some of things that happened after it.

During the time before the unification, the nine lands were ravaged by war, which left the land bereft of life. The land was dying due to all the bloodshed that polluted the soil. The land would have died had the Juushu not come with his armies to conquer the lands. The lands were united by the arrival of one who commanded a greater threat than all the nine were to each other. The nine banded together to defeat and expel this threat to their rule. But the threat saw the state of the land and of the people, and wanted to free then of the cycle of bloodshed, so he cleansed the lands of the taint of the rulers who had forgotten how one of the responsibilities of a ruler, which was to care for the people. The war that allowed the Juushu to conquer the nine lands, was a short yet decisive one. The Juushu battled each of the nine daimyou in each of their home turfs. After the breath of life had left the bodies of the warmongerers, their bodies were laid to rest, with all the honors that their positions and ranks in life were due. He then noticed that the population was so small. Even with his armies, it would not do if he let such a population live in his newly acquired land. So he sent out messengers to all the wandering clans, to all the homeless clans, to all those that needed a home, he invited them all to live in his country, all that he asked for in return was their trust and loyalty.

He had nine friends, these nine he assigned to govern the nine provinces. The nine former ruling clans, he grante continued nobility, but with lesser honor. His nine friends were also given the initiative to promote eighteen clans of their choosing to noble status, nine of these clans would govern one of nine prefectures in each of the nine provinces, the other nine would be assigned other duties.

All in all there were one hundred eighty one noble clans.

The fourth group of the ruling class was made up of one hundred sixty two clans, these were the eighteen clans that helped govern each of the nine provinces.

The fifth group of the ruling class was the Samurai-Ninja class, which consisted of a great number of samurai and ninja clans, all of whom swore fealty to the Juushu but mostly received their orders and such from the provincial governors.

A sub-class that joined the two classes was the warrior class, which was composed of all elisted men and women of the army.

Not officially included in the ranking system of government, but still given equal prestige as a noble were the cultural leaders, the religious leaders, monks, priests, shamans, the geisha class, actors, and the like.

Mikio learned through his research, that the country valued Masters of any kind. Be they teacher, doctor, chemist, strategist, novelist, chef, designer, florist, it did not matter what profession, but as long as someone was exeptionally gifted or had mastered their trade their were greatly valued. Knowledge was an asset that could get one far. Story telling in some part of the country was considered as currency. Knowledge and stories were as good as money, they were both assets and comodities.

On one of the pages was a passage that caught Mikio's eye, it stated that Juushu after conquering the nine lands had amassed so much knowledge that he did not want to waste it, so he chose ten students from the milions that lived in the nine lands. To each of the ten he bestowed one branch of his knowledge. Once Juushu had decided that his ten students had mastered the knowledge that he bestowed upon them, he named their ten clans the Juushichou, whose prestige and honor was equal to that of one of the lesser noble clans.

After reading so much he decided to put down the book, it was getting late, and he was getting sleepy, nevermind getting hungry, sleep seemed more important.

* * *

That night Haru once again sat on one of the branches of a sakura tree in the garden that Megumi's window overlooked. Once again after he played he heard clapping. After which he would spot Megumi watching him from her window, where he would then go and offer to teach her. But that was not all that they did, they also talked, about many things. This pattern occurred on every night until the night that the trio was to leave.

It had been a whole week since the trio had found themselves locked inside Megumi's closet. Kazuo had been able to pull a few strings, and had found a way for the trio to get back to Tori no Kuni. As much as Jiraiya and Mikio would miss Megumi and Kazuo they still wanted to get back to Kiyomi, who they somehow knew wasn;t really all that worried about them, but they were worried about her, and missed her too.

Haru on the otherhand, didn't seem to want to leave, it took him longer to say goodbye to Megumi than the two other men. He knew that he had to leave, Kiyomi would be worried if he didn't return, then she'd take her worry out on either Jiraiya or Mikio, or both. He still also had two help the two men find what they were looking for. So he promised Megumi that he would one day return.

Kazuo led the trio to the doors of the castle keep of Juushu Oujou, or the Castle of the Ten Masters, and told then to enter and get to the top floor, where they would have to look for a balcony on which they would be able to watch the setting sun. Then he wished them luck and left them to their fate.

The three men then did as they were instructed. They had to wait the whole day until sunset, during which all three felt someone hit them in one of the instant knockout prssure points, and they blacked out. Jiraiya was able to catch a glimpse of their attacker before succumbing to the darkness.

His last thoughts were, '_Blonde hair?_'

Some hours later the three men would find themselves tied to their beds in the hotel that they were supposed to be staying in naked and tarred with chicken feathers. This is how Kiyomi would later find them. After getting over her shock, she would untie them, and attempt to kill them with the help of all the women at the convention.

* * *

Two weeks after finding themselves in Megumi's closet the three men had once again left Kiyomi at a hotel, this time they were in Sawa no Kuni. The three men had asked Kiyomi if she wanted to go fishing with them at one of the fishing holes in the country, she didn't want to go with them because it was a swamp.

The three men were sitting beside each other on the bank of the swamp where they were fishing. It had already been two hours, and still Jiraiya and Mikio had yet to catch any fish. They were used to catching fish the ninja way, but there was a law in Sawa no Kuni that prohibited such a practice, so they were forced to catch fish with fishing rods.

Haru on the otherhand had been very successful. He had caught more than twenty fish, the bad thing abou this was that he after catching a fish he would throw it back in. It seemed like the only time he was really serious was back when they were still in Megumi's compound, as well as when Haru was in the presence of Kiyomi or other less dangerous people.

Haru's pattern of catch a fish and throw it back had caught the attention of some really big crocodiles that would stay still in the water in front of Haru. Mikio and the Voice thought that maybe they were waiting for Haru to fall in. But thankfully he didn't, but unfortunately Jiraiya did. One of his notepads fell in, and so he jumped in to get it. He had to wrestle some of the crocs just to get out, but he eventually made it back to dry land. When he was dry he just picked up his fishing rod, sat down, hooked on some bait, and continued to fish, as if he didn't just fight some big crocodiles.

The trio were used to dealing with more dangerous things due to Haru's antics, and even though the crocodiles were there due to Haru's antics, they were still smaller compared to the number of other things tha got all three men screaming like little girls.

This adventure was actually the tamest and lamest of their adventures. It was both lame and tame by their standards since the Voice talked with Mikio every now and then. He usually was out of the coverage area whenever they were in real touble.

This was one of the few off days that the three men had.

These were only a miniscule number of the adventurs that the group, meaning the three men, had. There were so many more, actually everyday was an adventure in itself.

* * *

It had been eight months since Jiraiya had last seen Naruto. Seven months since he had lost his student. Even though he didn't deserve the events that led to it, he had also gotten closer to Kiyomi, she allowed him to use her as a model for one of the clothed characters in his latest book.

Mikio had not gained any of his missing memory, his amnesia was really bad. But he did find out that he had gotten stronger, faster, and his chakra stoes had grown as well, all thanks to Haru, and occasionally Jiraiya.

Haru, well to gauge his growth was really hard. Its safest to say that his attraction to trouble had grown exponentially, that was when he wasn't using the his brain. There is also the fact that he had gotten faster, he had gotten so fast that one time some Iwa-nins that the group had passed by fainted from shock at watching him run so fast, they actually shouted, "ITS A GHOST!" Jiraiya figured out that Haru resembled Minato. This was confirmed when another group of Iwa-nins shouted, "THE YELLOW FLASH IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!", while another group shouted, "RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!"

The trio were camped outside of one of the towns in Kuma no Kuni. Kiyomi had gone into town to get some supplies, but when she returned she had brought with her a surprise.

"Hey guys!," she called out to them, "Look who I found!"

All three men then looked at her and her companion. Then Mikio and Haru bolted to their feet and tackled the guy who was walking beside Kiyomi, and started to beat the living out of him.

Once the whole group was back by the campfire, with the guy dressing his wounds, Jiraiya looked at the guy as if trying to recall anything that his companions had said about anyone that looked like the guy did.

"Hey man," the guy said, "Stop staring, I'll tell you who I am," he then stood up and did a little dance that looked like Jiraiya's introductory dance, but it was way more silly and way more embarassing for any student that the guy would ever have, if he ever got around to getting a student.

"I am the great, the power, the sexy, the unattainable and immortal Ikkaku Sennin!" then he struck a ridiculous pose which sent Mikio and Haru to the ground rolling the living out of themselves laughing.

While Jiraiya, just stared, and stared, and jumped the man, dragging him to the ground while hugging him. Then he bolted to his feet, and did his little dance, and introduced himself.

After finding out who he was Ikkaku fished out a scroll and unsealed its contents and begged Jiraiya to sign his Icha Icha books.

After all the commotion, and after the heavy beating the four men received thanks to Kiyomi, they all went to bed, Jiraiya and Kiyomi in different tents, since their relationship hadn't gotten to the point where they could sleep in the same tent together.

From four to five, Ikkaku Sennin had arrived.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 9**

Millions of clones could be found in the white space, Kyonshi had split himself into five hundred one bodies. One of these bodies he would use to go about his daily business, while the remaining bodies would teach and train the clones. The millions of clones that were created by Naruto actually, if one were to count, were twenty five million in number.

Kyonshi ordered the clones to arrange themselves into groups of five hundred. Ten of his bodies went to each of the groups. There was a total of fifty groups, each group having ten subgrounps. Each of the bodies would take control of fifty thousand clones.

Nine of the groups were to be taught the mytholigies of the world, as well as have their imaginations broadened. To understand the world, Naruto would have to know, recognize, and understand the different mythologically connected things in existence, after training he would have an extensive, yet still incomplete knowledge on mythology. The clones gain knowledge about the different cultures and traditions of the world along with their mythological backgrounds. He would learn that not all fact is based on fact, not all fact was fact, and not all fiction was in fact fiction. Tied into mythology, Naruto would undergo intense training in linguistics, he would learn the languages of the world, his world. All his focus would give a higher priority to things relevant to his world, but that did not mean that the other worlds, realms, dimensions, etcetera would be neglected. He would gain a healthy knowledge or at least awareness of them. Two branches of mythology that would be given much importance were mythological zoology and mythological botany. Half of the flora and fauna found in Kyonshi's domain were or are considered mythological in nature, five percent of the things were things born out of eons worth of imaginations, and the remaining number were everything else that commonly existed, just not in their regular sizes and such.

There were forty one other general subjects that the remeining clones groups were to study or train in.

Group one would have to improve Naruto's chakra control, as well as his control of the other two energies that were found inside Naruto's being. There is no such thing as perfection, because there will always be room for improvement, and Naruto, through his clones, would learn that there were more ways to improve one's control than anyone he knew back home ever knew about. Kyonshi would have the clones undergo training that would, could, and should kill a normal individual, but everyone knows that Naruto is anything but normal. The leaf balancing exercise, tree walking, water walking, waterfall walking, moving water walking, chakra string creation and manipulation, and by extension Kugutsu no Justsu, kunai balancing, wall walking, and the like would be mastered by the end of the rest of the year, not only would they be mastered but they would also be improved. It was up to the clones if those excecises would be mastered. For leaf balancing, the clones would have to not only master one leaf but a trees worth. The Shodaime Hokage was a master of Mokuton Jutsu, Naruto would be able to control multiple leaves by master the exercise. He would be able to have the leaves around him, should there be any, as weapons and other things. For water walking, Naruto would be forced to be able to walk an inch above scalding hot water. This would allow him have others believe that he could walk on air. For waterfall walking, Naruto would be able to walk up and down a waterfall with ease, without having to concentrate, when running away from things he would be able to run on moving elemental techiques. Same thing for moving water walking, but he would also be able to create a calm or flat space for him to walk on, which could be applied to other non-ninja related things. With Chakra strings and by extension the Art of Puppetry, Naruto would gain a mastery in the art, as well as be able to effectively use chakra strings, and not have to create bulky chakra cables. Kunai balancing enable Naruto to create a force field or a shield made of chakra on a whim to defend himself from pointy objects that would otherwise skewer him. By the end of his training he would be like a Hyuuga in the sense that he would be able to expell chakra from any of his many tenketsu, he would be able to stick and move to and on any surface, and in conjuction with some of his other training, in and on the elements themselves with ease. If his acquaintance Tenten could move around her weapons with strings, Naruto would be able to become a literal maelstorm of sharp pointy and deadly objects. The most extreme that his control training would be alternating between his three power sources almost instantaneously, as well as doing all the excercises by utilising only one tenketsu at a time. He would master the basics, but the advance and extreme forms would not all be mastered, if any were destined to be mastered at all.

Group two would be training in Wind elemental chakra, and just plain element manipulation. By the end of training Naruto should have a mastered, rather, should have utter and complete control of the wind. The goal of this training would be for Naruto to be one with the winds, if at all possible, he not only be able to be one with it, he would be the wind, or as close to it as possible. He would be as unpredictable as the wind, even though he was already considered as surprising, his master over the winds would enable him to force shock to appear on the faces of the most stoic of people. In battle, he would be able to match Shikamaru's genius, but still lag behind him somewhat, but he would be far more creative. A genius has the brains, but an 'idiot' has the imagination. He would be unreliable, unreliable in the sense that due to his unpredictability, his enemies, and some of his alies would not be able to rely on his actions to predict the outcome of most situations, other people's instincts would be unreliable when attempting to think steps ahead of Naruto, some of the time, nobody is perfect. With the wind Naruto's playfulness would know no bounds. A prankster in battle in a deadly trapsmater. He would also be destructive, just as a calm breeze could suddenly turn into a raging hurricane, he would be a force to reckoned with. He would be able to break through all boudaries. His mastery over the wind would greatly affect his stealth, he would be able to become as invisible and intangible as the wind, as well as travel just as swift or just as slow. He would also be able to strengthen his Fuuton Jutsus, as well as make the wind a weapon itself, the wind and blades of any kind have a deep relationship. To walk on air would not be a problem, and with the right tools so would flying or gliding.

Group three would be focusing on a mastery of the element of earth. With a mastery of this element, Naruto would grow in strengh, both both physical and mental. His determination would skyrocket, he would be a force to be reckoned with, with his determination, stuborness, and unwavering conviction he would be able to move mountains in the literal and figurative senses. His Doton Jutsus would definitely gain a great boost. A mastery of this element would also help him with his crops and other produce that are born of the earth. He would also be able to bacome one with the earth. A mastery here would enable Naruto to be more grounded, he would not go overboard with his thoughts and actions as much as he was prone to when he was little or younger.

Group four were tasked with mastering the element of water, the element with the most intimate relationship with life. Just as the water was the giver of life, water is an essential element to survival, it is also connected to the emotions, the arts, time, healing, and philosophy. With a mastery of this element, Naruto would be able to control his emotions, hide them, but not lose them. The 'perfect' killing machine is one without emotions, and if the situation would call for it, Naruto would be able to answer that call. He would not allow his emotions to control his life, he would control his life, nothing else, and no one else. His new love for the arts would further blossom, orange would still be his favorite of favorite of colors, but he would know more about the others, their meanings, importances, and associations with the rest of the world. He would know more about beauty, and be able to appreciate it. The flow of time is associated with water, Naruto would be able to use his time wisely, once wasted, like water, it would never return, sort of. Naruto's mastery of water would also improve his ability to heal, to forgive, to forget, and where there is healing there is also killing. With water Naruto's uncanny ability to change people for the better would grow in strength and intensity, although he wouldn't realize that. Suiton Jutsu would benefit from the mastery of this elelment.

Group five were given the task of granting Naruto with a mastery over fire. This element is another life giver, just like the other elements. It gives warmth, helps give courage, compassion, allows for devotion to blossom. There is also the Will of Fire to consider. Naruto's nindo of never giving up, his dream to be able to protect that or those that are precious to him, will all be more achievable with his newly rekindled will. He will be a blzing inforno, the beacon of light for many in times of hardship. He would be the scorching flame that incinerates the oppressors, and will the light that shall never be snuffed out. With fire on his side, at his beck and call, Naruto will be able to use his emotions as tools to power his attacks, strengthen his defense, and with his will, he will be known far and wide. He will definitely stand out, with fire helping him, he will gain the acknowlegement of the world. Katon would be no longer just another Uchiha thing.

Group six were tasked with the mastery of lightning, or he energies. With this element, his Raiton would rival the mastery of Kumo. This element would help him with his other projects and subjects, and studies concerning the energies that are in the world, that grant motion to the oceans, that allow for mountains to crumble, and the waters to rise and fall. The element would quicken his reflexes, his overall agility would highten. His future doodads and contraptions would have more power, use, and substance.

Group seven were assigned to studying and training in, and finally gaining a mastery over the light. He would literally be able to be the light at the end of the tunnel, the light in the midst of the darkness, or a beacon of light. He would be able to distract himself from the troubles and problems in and of the world for a time. He would be able to achieve momentary peace. In the light his humanity would shine, and a bunch of other helpful things would be attainable.

Group eight was left with the manipulation and eventual control of the shadows. Ninja were once creatures of the night, beings of the shadows, they were invisible creatures. A ninja once meant death. There were battles that were fought on the open plains by vast armies, but it used to only take one ninja to utterly devastate an entire land. To cripple an army the head must be removed. To win a war, the general's head must lie on the ground separate from the body. Naruto would gain the ability to become one with the shadows, he would then be able to be the shadows. He would have the best of both worlds. He would thrive in the new world, seen by all in the light, just as he would be one of the things that go bump in the night.

All seven of the elements would grant Naruto with a greated ability to manipulate he world around him, with the masteries he would have a toehold in the control of life and death. The masteries would allow him to be as a mad scientist, and create life from non-life. It would be an added bonus from Kyonshi. Ever heard of elelmentals and golems, well Naruto would be able to make a few of those, ones that he could control.

In our world, the dawn of the age of instant messaging made our lives a whole lot easier, but for Naruto, this convenience was not very convenient, his world could not support vast quantities of such a technology. His world may have technology, but the world needs balance lest it cease to be as it is. The energies that rule his world have forced there to be balance, just as the mind and body must be balanced, so does nature and technology. But Naruto being Naruto should rarely fit into the norm. Group nine were tasked to give Naruto the ability to communicate with anyone or anything, he would be studying telepathy, the more complete and advanced form of how he communicates with his dragons.

In every hidden village, as well as in every country's military force, there is a division that specializes in psychology or the way the mind works and how their enemies and allies think. In Konoha like many other hidden villages, there is the Torture and Interrogation Division, in charge of information gathering and the like. To be a competent torture and interrogation specialist one must have intimate knowledgs and insight on the goings on in the mind. That is why group ten was assigned with studying psychology. This subject would also help his already frighteningly limitless imagination and his somewhat existent genjutsu skills.

Naruto had, by this point, already participated in many battles, a few of them large-scale ones, like his Bug War. In battle of any kind, there must be a strategy. Strategy as much as numbers decide who will win or lose. Naruto with the aid of his scholar clones may have tapped into his superior IQ, but since perfection is nonexistent, and there is and will always be someone greater, more advanced, closer to perfect, Naruto must learn, and must still acquire a greater appreciation, and be able to apply more complex strategies in battles. Therefore group eleven has the honor and privilage of studying strategy, as well as the art of war.

Already having a vast library of ninjutsu at his disposal, Naruto had yet to master them all, group twelve's training in this art would give Naruto a mastery over that which he is best at. Not only would the clones master the jutsu, but would improve on them, make new ones, master those, and go for more. The Hokage is supposedly a master of over a thousand jutsu, Naruto wanted to surpass all previous Hokage.

Naruto, earlier on in his life, did not possess the capacity or control for producing believable or solid illusions. His Henge was not really a henge at all, it was one of his abilities, something that he had gained by housing Touken in him for so many years. His henge was actually the ability to shapeshift, but not as limited as the shapeshifting ability of the kitsune of myth. After the few months that he had been roaming around Kyonshi's domain, he had gained some ability in genjutsu. It would always be his weakpoint, but he would still strive to get better at it. So group thirteen would be studying, improving, mastering, creating, and applying evrything they could in the subject of the art of illusions. Genjutsu was to be their field of study.

Belief had a lot to do with group fourteen's subject, knowing that something was possible just didn't cut it, Naruto would have to learn how much his belief in himself could give him the power to do almost anything. This group would be studying the Words of Power, their studies would revolve around invocations, and incantations. It would be like they were studying magic, which they essentially would be, but they would also be taking a course on the things that the monks, priest, shamans, and the like of the world. These clones would also be mastering the ability to use Nature Chakra. The energy of the world. To master it would allow Naruto to be one with not just the elements, but with the world.

Group fifteen would be learning how to access and utilise the most dangerous weapon in Naruto's formidable armory, his Mind. Thinking is dangerous, formulating ideas deadly, and with Naruto's imagination the world will never ever be the same again. Just as a single action can control the flow of time, a thought can do just as much damage. To think is to create. The power of the mind is great. The Being's conceptualized All Things, then acted, Its actions indirectly and directly created everything. Meditation would be one of the many excercises that Naruto would be doing for the months to come. With so many clones, those months would be decades worth of compiled know-how. With enough practice, the clones, and in effect Naruto, would be able to make thought into reality.

It is a well known fact that Fuuinjutsu or the art of seals or sealing is an art that few choose to master, this is due to its extensiveness and complexity. Naruto is one not to back down from a challenge. Also Ero-sennin and Yondaime Hokage are famous for their knowledge and mastery in this art and field. Group sixteen would need to surpass their knowedge and ability to be able to achieve his dream of surpassing the previous Hokages, since Namikaze Minato himself was Yondaime Hokage. The greatest Hokage of them all, and Naruto wanted to surpass that bar.

Naruto is not known for his hand-to-hand combat abilities, he was more of the bralwer type. Going in solo is not his thing, he has clones to fill in the oppenings his fighting style creates. Group seventeen would be the group that would solve this, alone he would be a force to be reckoned with, and with his clones he would be a force of nature to be feared. With Zombie-sensei as his instructor, the ten taijutsu subgroups would learn and master ten taijutsu styles, and would familiarize themselves with more than that, but focus would be given to only ten.

The first subgroup would be mastering the Togakure-ryu or the School of the Hidden Door. This taijutsu was one of the ancient styles, one that the Ninja world no longer practiced much, it was only taught briefly in history classes. Is formal techniques revolved around hiding, and escaping. This was one of the things that gave ninja their reputaion of being one with the shadows. The ninjutsu that most of the ninja world used have been literal improvements of jutsu of this style. Kirigakure no Jutsu was not originally something that used actual mist, ancient ninja used smokebombs to form the fog or mist, but instead of acting like Zabuza, the ninja of old fled insearch of better hiding places.

The second subgroup would be mastering Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu. This style was similar to the Hyuuga Jyuuken, but instead of attacking the tenketsu, the attacks targeted the muscles and nerves. Naruto would need a refined knowledge about the different muscles and nerves of the human body, as well as some other creatures.

The third group would be mastering Kukishinden-ryu or Nine Demon Gods School. This was the style that the Bijuu were taught by Kyonshi to be used when in their human forms or hanyou forms. This style used locks, entaglements, strangling, striking, and kicks. It was kinda like wrestling, but it also allowed the user to use weapons, from shuriken to staffs to naginata to spears.

The fourth subgroup would be mastering the Koto-ryu or Knocking down the Tiger School. This style stressed close range fighting, with powerful strikes that were supposed to be able to break bones, and also strike presure points, the kenjutsu that is incorporated in this style makes the user seem like an amatuer.

The fifth subgroup would be mastering the Shinden Fudo Ryu, which used a mixture of grappling methods and striking methods to take down opponents. Somehow this style also taught the user to use large axes, hammers, and swords.

The sixth subgroup would be mastering the Takagi Yoshin-ryu, this style is commonly used by bodyguard to allow them to quicky incapacitate their opponents and did not allow for escape or evasion. This was a close quarters combat style, that taught ways to defend and attack with and without weapons.

The seventh subgroup would be mastering the Gikan-ryu, which basically focuses on breaking bones, it is very similar to Lee and Gai's Gouken. With this style Naruto would be able to shatter bones.

The eighth subgroup would be mastering the Gyokushin-ryu or The Jeweled Heart School. This style focused on the use of stealth, the attacks targeted the muscles, pressure points, and nerves for quick and easy kills. Koint dislocation was also one of the things this style taught. This was one of the ancient styles that earned the ninja the title of assassin.

The ninth subgroup would be mastering the Kumogakure-ryu, this style was very similar to the Togakure-ryu, except that it had techniques that used two special weapons: the ippon sugi noburi, a kind of pick-axe, and the kamayari, or a hooked spear, and by relation the kama.

The tenth subgroup would be the group that would be mastering the style or school which took aspects of each of the other nine, combined them, and made them its own, the Budo Taijutsu Ryu. It was a relatively new style, that only came into existence some years after the births of the other nine from which it stole styles from.

The other styles that the group would be learning were the Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Mantis, Crane, and some other styles like Aikido, Taekwando, and Capoeira.

The eighteenth group would be focusing their studies on medicine, everything to do with medicine, Naruto would gain knowledge that would surpass Tsunade, but would not be able to apply all that he would learn, there were just some things that women can, could, and will always do better. He would be an all-around doctor.

The nineteenth group would be studying health in general, with topics ranging from the human anatomy, to the animal reproductive systems. He would study about nutrients, poisons, toxins, cures, antidotes, and the like.

The twentieth group would make Naruto one of the masters of the culinary world. His name would be spoken by chefs with reverence, and a hint of jealousy. He would master the art of kneading dough, clicing and dicing, baking, frying, the like and more. With his knowledge of the culinary arts his killing prowess would be viewed as an art form, that is if he applied his cooking skills to his fighting.

The twenty first group would be focused on improving Naruto's etiquette, social skills, manners, and the like. By the end of training Naruto would be able to act like an emperor or a daimyou very convincingly. Who needs henge when you can act like someone else entirely. A subgroup or two of this group would focus on studying sociology, while another one or two would focus on studying hensojutsu, which is the art of blending in. His acting skills would be better than a kitsune's ability to shapeshift.

The knowledge of the world that Naruto possessed was limited, but with the help of Zombie-sensei, he would be able to fit into any society on his world. By knowing the history of any place he would be able to act as if he had been born in that place. He would also be able to further understand the people around him. Naruto needed to know about the here and now, but to better understand that he would have to know more about the what once was. Thus giving the twenty second group the assignment of studying and memorizing the history of his world, primarily anything that had to do with the Elemental continent.

Hand in hand with history, group twenty three would be learning about the many and different traditions of the elemental continent, ninja, samurai, commoner, etcetera. What they are, how they came about, why are they continued, what are their purposes, and other such things would forever be imprinted in the mind of Naruto.

The twenty fourth group would have to learn about the underworld, the underground, and how things there work. In order to be a good leader he would have to know how to lead all of his people, this included the criminal organizations. Zombie-sensei would teach the group everything he could think of that would be essential to Naruto should he have to or choose to immerse himself in the world of criminals, in the world of those that society looks down upon. In the world where once, the ninja were a part of.

The twenty fifth group would be focusing all of their time studying the subtle and complex world of business, they would give Naruto the knowledge and the power to move the world with the power of gold.

The twenty sixth group would be learning about a related subject to business, they would give Naruto a greater understanding of economics. To rules is to understand basically the flow of supply and demand.

Due to Naruto's interest in the animal and plant kingdom, groups twenty seven, twenty eight, and twenty nine would be studying biology, zoology, and botany, to further understand the natural world around them, and since Naruto had so many pets and plants, he needed to know more about them.

Naruto had some knowledge of the legendary science of alchemy, he knew about the legends, and some of the things that alchemy could do. Zombie-sensei would be teaching group thirty the alchemy. This would just help out Naruto should he ever need something he forgot to bring along with him.

The thirty first group would be in charge of giving Naruto a greater understanding of physics. When throwing weapons and justsu that actually fly through the air it would be nice to know about things that had to do with this science. Naruto would need this knowledge to make better use of his seige engines.

Seals are not the only things that go BOOM! Chemistry is one of the other things Naruto's clones would be studying. The mixture of elements would greatly help him, in many situations. The knowledge would help with his healing, physics, jutsus and other things. This branch of science was delegated to group thirty two.

Group thirty three would be in charge of learning about the way things work, they would be studying mechanics, and mechanical engineering. How to make trains, elevators, and household appliances and the like. This little branch of science would help him greatly with his exploring and other such adventures and misadventures.

With the knowledge that not a lot of technology could be used or made to work, or even worked, or even lasted on his world Naruto to would have to learn about the limitations of technology on his world. There were countless books in the library that talked about aeroplanes, space ships, jets, cellphones, and the like. Group thirty four would be the group that learned and fugured out what already existing inventions could be brought to life, literally and figuratively, on his world.

Even though Naruto would have the knowledge and ability to use telepathy, there was still the fact that he needed another way to contact his comrades. Instant messaging was out of the question, but what about the other ways of communication? Group number thirty five would be studying communication, and communtion technology that he could use, make use of, and mass produce.

Balancing his knowledge of gadgets, fighting and whatnot, Naruto needed a way to balance all of that. That was why group thirty six was assigned to the subject of art. This group of clones would be studying all art. Literature, sculpting, explosions, paintings, art that lasted for ages, art that lasted for the moment, bascially art in all its forms. Fighting, killing, and war being three of these.

To be a good and effective leader Naruto would have to learn about politics, he would have to realize, learn, know, and understand the balance of power. The structure or hierarchy or rankings. He would need to know about the importance, the purpose, and the like of anything that had to do with politics. He would need to have a refined knowledge and ability to play the political game. Group thirty seven was charged with mastering this aspect of leadership.

Naruto had still had a long way to go before he could match the stealth of many of the warriors of the modern and ancient world. He may have been able to get in and out of ANBU headquarters without being found out, but getting in and out of a fortress, like Kyonshi's fortress was something else altogether. That is why group thirty eight was given the task of gaining the stealth needed to get in and out of Kyonshi's fortress without being caught. Not that Kyonshi wouldn't know about it, but Naruto needed to be able to get in and out without getting caught be anyone else, by any of the residents and guests of Kyonshi that werent like him.

Group thirty nine were given the chance to explore all the possibilities of stealth technology, like cloaking devices and the like. While group forty was given the chance to study gravitational techonology, while such technology could not be mass produced by all, Naruto would be exemptem from the rule. He would be allowed to use a limited number of these toys.

Finally group thirty one, would be taught and allowed a bit of control over time itself, but most of the power would be time relevant to Naruto himsself. He would learn how to stop or slow down time for a short while, how to speed up time for a small space, how to walk in and out of time, and other such things. Any paradoxes that would have occurred should Naruto ever time travel would not exist and the God of Time would help the situation be solved, so long as Naruto was careful. That is why having more luck than the Goddess of Luck herself was a really good thing.

This is how Naruto's clone army of millions would spend the remaining eight months of the year. The funny thing about Naruto's stay in Kyonshi's domain, was that the moment he entered Kyonshi's domain his past self had just began the three year training trip.

* * *

You know...if you enjoyed or enjoy reading my story you would review and let me know...you know..


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Warning #2: I've taken some things from some myths, history, and a ninja game, I just tweaked them to suit my needs.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 10**

It had already been four months since Ikkaku had joined the group. He got along splendidly well with Jiraiya, he was a writer as well, having a series of his own, but the stories he wrote about were suspense and thriller type things. He got a kick out of all the adventures that the group had, as well as some of the ones that he was party to. He kind of had an inkling of an idea as to how the men got into the messes that they did, the major ones that is. But he dared not voice such things lest they get into much more trouble than they would be able to handle. That nut job of a kami could be real sadistic at times.

The three original men benefited a lot from Ikkaku's presence. Some of the situations that Haru got them in needed a longer arm to help them out, and Ikkaku's poleaxe really helped with that.

Kiyomi still didn't get pulled into these adventures, there must have really been a divine force that protected her from anything that could really hurt her. That is not to say that she couldn't get hurt or get into a bind, its just that she never got pulled into the places that the men found themselves in. She may have been chased by dogs or cats, but not by the molten monsters, sabertooth cats, or rampaging rhinos that the men kept having to run away from.

But the first advnture that Ikkaku had experienced while travelling with the group was not caused by Haru, but by something that he did sometime in a past life, back when his horn was a lot longer than it was in this life.

* * *

Two weeks after leaving Kuma no Kuni, the party found themselves walking on the edges of Kaze no Kuni when suddenly a sandstorm came out of nowhere and hit them. The men were separated from Kiyomi, whom they would later find in Sunagakure no Sato.

The men were able to find a cave in which they were able to take shelter in. Noticing that Kiyomi was not among them, Jiraiya and Mikio glared at Haru.

"I swear!" Haru said, "I didn't do nothin dis time!"

"Well you must have done something! The Voice isn't whispering to me anymore!"

"If not done something, you must have wanted something to happen!"

"Swear, cross me heart and hope to fly! I don't wanna get lost in a desert."

"You guys," Ikkaku said, "Why are you blaming Haru for the sandstorm?"

"Simple, remember all those dangerous situations we found ourselves in?" Mikio asked.

"Yeah"

"Well, Haru somehow got us into those situations," Jiraiya added.

"Oh."

"But I swear it wasn't me this time."

The four men decided that it would be off no use to argue about whose fault it was and just walked deeper into the cave. Jiraiya noticed that they seemed to find themselves trapped in caves a lot.

"We seem to find ourselves in caves a lot."

"Don't remind me, that volcano thing was a pain in the posterior," Mikio stated.

The sandstorm outside refused to let up, so the quartet moved further into the cave, after a couple minutes of forced exploration due to boredom, the group of four found themselves in a chamber, with the only other hole in it being a hole in the ground.

Haru was hesitant to look into the hole, so the three originals decided to use this opportunity as some sort of initiation for Ikkaku.

Once Ikkaku looked over the edge and into the hole, he wished he hadn't, for down in the dakrness was a pair of eerie yellow eyes staring at him. Anger was burning within them.

Once he backed away torrents of water started to rush into the chamber coming out of the two only entrances and exits into and out of the chamber.

With so much water coming in, the Jiraiya and Mikio began forming plans and were discussing the best way to get out of the cave without having to expend so much energy. Haru sealed away his clothes except for a pair of pants. While Ikkaku strapped his poleaxe to his back and prepared to swim.

Not being with the group for so long, Ikkaku did not expect anything other than water to be their problem. But as soon as they were submerged underwater, Ikkaku knew that the pair of eyes he saw were not just figments of his imagination.

The eyes belonged to a suiryuu, a water dragon, one of five that were swimming in the water and making their way towards him, so while holding his breath he sped towards the direction of the other three men.

Upon seeing the dragons that were swimming after Ikkaku, Jiraiya grabbed the other sennin, pumped chakra to his legs and swan for it with Mikio and Haru following the pair into the hole with the five dragons hot on their heels.

The hole in the middle of the chamber was a long and winding one, and somehow the quartet was able to hold their breaths until they found an underground space in which they could pop out of the water and breath. The space was in fact a cave, with the walls made purely out of diamonds. Drilling upwards was not a good idea as the drilling might not work, and might also cause a cave-in. So the quartet had to rest a while, catch their breaths and prepare for battle.

The dragons on the otherhand failed to notice the air space, so they continued onwards deeper and further into the cave.

Once the four men had rested up they dove into the water and began their journey back to the cave entrance in which they first entered the cave in search of shelter.

But once they hit the water, like moths to a flame, the dragons just appeared there ready and waiting for Ikkaku.

These overgrown lizards were mad, hungry, and mad. The four men got ready for battle, a battle of the underwater kind.

Four on five were great odds for the dragons. So long as the water wasn't treated to electricity the dragons had the upper hand. No one can be stupid enough to send out electricity to fry everyone in the water.

It was a stalemate, not a single one moved as they had a staring contest, dragons and humans. But of course someone had to break away and officially start the battle.

While Jiraiya was secretly preparing to launch some underwater wind bullets with the air he still had in his lungs being amplified with his chakra, Mikio was preparing to send some water dragons of his own at the five water dragons, Ikkaku was coating his poleaxe with magic for sharpness, and some wind chakra for more slicing ability, Haru launched his attack.

From all five of his fingers chakra strings shot out, two strings attached themselves to each dragon, followed by a lightning bolt's worth of power. This action sent the dragons writhing in agony.

But the dragons quickly overcame or ignored the pain and were about to send out some tsunami in strength attacks, when they were pelted by pockets of air, ice dragon missiles since Mikio cooled the water he was using too much, and each of the dragons lost one horn thanks to the poleaxe. The attacks pushed back the dragons.

While the dragons were recovering, the four humans swam as fast as they could towards the entrance of the cave hoping to escape the water prison that they had found themselves in. When they finally got out of the water, all three men slammed their palms on the water's surface and sent volt upon volt of electricity. There were so many supercharged and superheated electrons in the water that sparks could be seen dancing on the surface. After that they bolted into the still raging sandstorm.

Some minutes of trudging through gale force winds that sent sand slashing at their forms, the four met were able to break through the storm and came out in the middle of a ravine, smooth walls on either side of the ravine or canyon they were in. So they decided to rest for a bit, catch their breath, and get back some of their lost chakra.

After a few minutes of waiting, Mikio started to feel cold, followed, by the two sennins, then the three men saw Haru who had run off come running towards them, he was being followed by a snow and hail storm. Snow and hail were the last things that the group expected to find in the middle of a desert. But there it was a storm of ice was fast approaching them. So they ran after Haru who had already sped away from the oncoming storm.

Not a minute had passed when they three men saw Haru running back towards the storm. They briefly wondered why he was running back, in the direction that they were running there were five dragons spitting toresnts of water out of their mouths, the tsunami of water was swiftly heading their way, so they turned around and ran.

A few meters later the four men found themselves between a rock and a hard place. They were in between the snow storm and the tsunami. Behind both unnatural disasters were five dragons. Each group looking like they wanted to have sennin for dinner, or so Ikkaku thought.

Contrary to what Ikkaku thought the dragons did not want sennin for dinner, they just wanted a certain sennin's soul to go through the process of reincarnation again, this time maybe into a worm or something.

As the water and the ice closed in, Mikio and Jiraiya slammed their palms on the ground, a giant cloud of smoke later and the four men were standing on the heads of two Boss Summons.

"JUMP!!" Jiraiya and Mikio shouted at their summons.

After the summons landed on the right side of the canyon, the water and ice froze in the canyon creating a frozen lake which did not fill the entire canyon, just a part of it. The dragons flew or climbed up onto the left side of the canyon facing the two summons and the four men.

Before charging off into battle to face ten dragons, five of ice and five of water, the Gamabunta wanted to know how they got ten dragons after their hides.

"Ikkaku Sennin as I live and breathe! So its round two, this time with the great-grandsons of Ryo-Wo!" Mukadetaishou, the boss of the Centipede Contract, said.

"Jiraiya! I'll fight with you this time, Ryo-Wo! Haha! I've wanted to fight his spawns for ages!" Gamabunta said.

Realization hit Jiraiya like a ton of bricks, so he bonked Ikkaku on his head.

"You are THAT Ikkaku Sennin?! If WE die here I'm killing YOU again!" Jiraiya shouted at Ikkaku an inch away from his ear.

Before anything else could be said a literal thunderstorm appeared overhead. Thunder and lightning, hail, snowballs, fireballs, rain, ice spears, ice balls, and the like were falling or flung in the general direction of the group by the dragons whose ancestors Ikkaku Sennin had imprisoned in a cave to stop the rain from being created, or something like that. The point is that Ikkaku did something in his past life that warranted Ryo-Wo's wrath.

The humans and summons brought up some sort of defense like Gamabunta's giant water wall and Mukadetaishou's earth wall. Ikkaku formed a dome of energy around them. Mikio shot out a chakra shield. Jiraiya added onto the water wall.

Offense met defense, and the defending ones had to push with all their might, they had to make sure that none of the attacks passed through their defenses lest others get through as well.

The four humans after realizing that they did not have enough power to sustain their defenses for much longer decided to stop their efforts and leave the defending to the summons and Ikkaku's self-sustaining dome of energy.

Then they thought up a plan, a plan that would get them out of the mess they were in without having to sacrifice one of their own.

Haru was the one to think of the best idea of them all, which they planned to immediately implement, if only Jiraiya, Mikio, and Haru could convince Ikkaku to cooperate.

Haru threw Ikkaku out of the dome, when he landed the preattached chakra strings controlled how he moved. He walked up to the edge of their side of the canyon.

"Ha! Is that all Ryo-Wo can do? Send his grandchildren to try and be get rid of me! Me? I am Ekashringa! And I laugh, HA HA HA, at your pitiful attempt to slay me! Come out of Ryuuga and face me!" Ikkaku shouted to the heavens and all that would hear.

As soon as the speech was over, the clouds parted and a dragon of inumerable scales descended unto the earth. Its horns and beard were long with age. Its claws glistened in the light provided by the heavens. Its protective scales were white. In one claw it held an orb, in the other a trident. This dragon was at least forty feet in length. It was a sight to behold. It was as if one of the kami had appeared in the world. Ryo-Wo, the Dragon King had arrived.

"**Insult me will you!**" his voice boomed across the sea of sand, "**I am Ryo-Wo! And you are a fool! It is an honor to die by my children's children as it was to have died by the fangs, claws, and magic of my children! You foolish mortal think that you have the power to defeat me? HA! I LAUGH AT YOU!**"

"Tch, you old lizard are all talk! I could kill you with my magics should I wish it. But I will not spare you this time!"

"**Then you are a greater fool! HAH! If you can manage to harm me I shall let you live for a while longer. But if you are unable to do so, by any means, then you shall forfeit your life to me, and your next nine reincarnations!**"

"DEAL!" Ikkaku shouted, "NOW!!"

After the signal was given, the chakra strings vanished, and the defenses were dropped, and all four humans and two summons blasted the Dragon King into his grandchildren.

Crack! The trident of the Dragon King had cracked due to the combined strength of the attacks on his person. To Ryo-Wo his weapon was an extension of himself. He was an honest and honorable being.

"**Hmm, it seems you have tricked my clan once again,**" He said, "**I shall let you live, you and your **_**friends**_**. Entertain me while you still breathe, for I shall now help the animated corpse screw with your futures!**"

Then the Dragon King took to the skies to return to his palace under the seas, taking his grandchildren with him, along with the thunderstorm that raged overhead. Gamabunta and Mukadetaishou went home as well.

"Well," Haru said, "That wasn't so bad. At least Inari didn't join in the fun."

* * *

An hour after Haru's statement the four men were running across the desert sand, and a top the sandy dunes, this was not because they found Suna, but because they were being chased by several hundred kitsune.

"HARU!!!!!" Mikio and Jiraiya shouted.

"Thats a lot of kitsune!" Ikkaku and Haru said at the same time after glancing at the horde behind them.

And all was right in the world.

It had been a week since the kitsunes started chasing after the group of four, they had been avoiding the foxes by running and hiding, while hiding they rested and ate what food they could get their hands on, water was easy enough to come by, just summon a toad to fetch a pail of water.

It had been a week since the chase started and the group was getting tired from all the running and hiding that they had to do. They had to figure out a way to gain the forgiveness of Inari to finally be rid of the kitsune. The question was: How?

"Face off time. I got a plan!" Jiraiya said as he stopped running and whirled around to face the horde of kitsune.

The other three stopped running in shock at the proclamation and tripped on their feet and flipped over and skidded to a stop a few feet away from Jiraiya. Then they walked over to him. The kitsunes seemingly skidded to a halt themselves from the abruptess of Jiraiya's actions.

"So Ero-Sennin, what's your plan?" Mikio asked.

"This," he answered, then he dropped down into a kneeling position and shouted, "Inari! Kami of Rice! Deity of Agriculture! Forgive us for our past actions!"

The kitsune horde then parted to allow two figures to pass through. The first one was Dorotabo dragging two sacks of three sacks of rice. The second figure was another old man, this one having a beard that reached his feet, he wore a simple straw hat, and a farmer's garb.

Once the two old men were in front of Jiraiya, Dorotabo placed two of the rice sacks on top of the other, the third one he placed two feet behind the piled sacks slightly to the right of right behind them. He sat on the single sack, while the unknown old man sat on the piled sacks.

"Why should you be forgiven Jiraiya-chan?" the old man asked.

"Well, the thought was just that," Jiraiya explained, "We never acted on the thought. Plus the situation was really bad. We weren't really thinking straight at the time."

"Are you truly sorry for thinking such hurtful thoughts?"

"Yes."

"Very well," he said, "I am not Susano-O," then he waved his right hand, and the kitsune horde simply vanished.

"If you will excuse me," Dorotabo said standing up, "I have some hundred kitsune to take care off."

"So," Jiraiya said looking at the old man, "Are you some sort of representative of Inari-sama?"

"I," he said pointing to himself, "AM Inari."

"Gah!" the three others prostrated themselves before the god.

"Enough of this, you are forgiven. If you are to repeat your actions of that time, do it when none of the Enlightened Ones holds your futures in his grasp," Inari said before he too vanished.

It took the group of four three days to finally meet up with Kiyomi. But two four days later, they were separated from her again.

* * *

The four men were sucked into a gale force winds powered tornado, hours later all four men, somehow still alive found themselves not with one another.

Haru found himself on a chocolate colored hill. Ikkaku found himself up in a tree. Mikio found himself on the bank of a river. Jiraiya found himself on a small island in the middle of a lake.

Standing from his position on his back on the ground Haru looked around to get a feel of his surroundings. Around him were chocolate hills. That was probably the only thing unusual about the place, there were no monsters out to get him, or any people that he could see for that matter. So he decided to take a nap and wait for something to happen.

Two hours later Haru woke up to nothing exciting happening. Hearing his stomach growling Haru decided to go looking for some grub, be it meat or fruit or vegetable. First thing he needed to do was find some fruit bearing plants or animals, or any other living thing aside from grass.

Who knew that hunting or gathering was so hard, but all his searching finally bore some fruit, almost literally since Haru found a basket of fruits just there on the ground beside a coconut tree. Instead of climbing the tree to get a coconut, he just got some fruits from the basket and began to munch on them.

A short while later some children came running up to him, in their hands were spears, not the playthings that most children would be carrying around with them to play soldier with one another. These things were pointy and were real. So with his basket of fruit Haru ran for the hills.

The little people were throwing their spears at Haru, while shouting in a language that he could not understand, for some reason they were mad at him. It couldn't be the basket could it? So after polishing off the last fruit, Haru tossed the basket at the pursuing mob. Which did not stop them from chasing him.

A few seconds of running later an out of place big bird passed him by.

"Beep beep," it said as it passed him by.

Some spears passed over Haru's head, some passed underneath his feet as he jumped up to avoid them, some passed between his legs narrowly missing his privates. Some other things like gold and silver were thrown at Haru, which instead of avoiding them Haru caught them.

In his rush he almost ran into several coconut trees, but luckily his luck saved him all those times. While running away from certain doom for reasons unknown to him he saw on the horizon beyond some more chocolate hills another tornado, this one was blazing with fire. Once he was near enough he jumped into it.

'_What's the worst that could happen?_' he thought.

* * *

Ikkaku found himself up a tree, he was up in one of the higher branches. The tree for some reason was swaying in a nonexistent wind. As he looked down he saw the cause for such swaying, there was an old man that was attempting to cut down the tree, but for some reason was not making any progress.

Glad for such a thing happening Ikkaku climbed down the tree to confront the woodcutter.

"Sir," he asked pointingto the tree, "Why are you cutting down this tree?"

"Oh, hello, so you've been exiled too?" asked the old man.

"Exiled?" Ikkaku asked.

"Exiled. Thats why I'm here," the old man replied, "I cut down far too many trees you see."

"I see, are we the only two up here?"

"There is a hare and a toad up here with me," he answered, "They have yet to aid me in my pursuit of cutting down this tree, but they have been quite a bother."

"Maybe I can help," Ikkaku offered.

"Splendid."

So after some words in gibberish Ikkaku pointed his poleaxe at the saw which the old man used to try and cut down the tree.

"Oji-san, your saw will keep at it til it falls," Ikkaku told the old man, "It'll keep at it from now til that tree falls."

"Many thanks," he said, "Might you be a sennin?"

"I be," he replied, "So where are the hare and toad? I haven't had anything in my belly for a while."

"Right this way," the old man instructed, "Follow me."

The old man led Ikkaku to the hare and the toad. The hare upon seeing the hungry look in Ikkaku's eyes jumped into the sky and vanished. The toad looked at Ikkaku with pleading eyes. Eyes that did not look normal on the face of a toad.

"Me thinks, that that toad is not a toad, but another exile like yourself," Ikkaku told the old man.

"Now that I think about it that toad acts like an oni, though I've never heard of an onigama before."

"Come here little one," Ikkaku said coaxing the toad to move closer to him that he might examine it and try to reveal its true form.

The toad after some minutes of coaxing hopped closer to the two men, and just as it was less than a foot away from the old man, it was grabbed by the old man in a vice like grip. The old man after somehow being tormented for years by the toad was trying to squeeze the life out of it. But it seemed as if there was some outside force keeping it alive, in pain, but still alive.

"Hey hey hey Oji-san," Ikkaku said after grabbing the toad from the old man's grasp, "Its not an onigama, if it were you wouldn't be able to squeeze it to death anyway, you'd be dead right now."

After allowing his brain to process the logic behind Ikkaku's thinking the old man told him that he would be returning to his tree to wait for it finally be cut down, leaving Ikkaku alone with the toad.

"So little toad, what are you?" he asked the toad not expecting an answer, "Are you an onigama that does not want to harm others?"

The toad shook its little head.

"Are you another animal?"

The toad shook its little head.

"Are you a spirit?"

The toad shook its head.

"Are you some kind of exiled being?"

The toad shook its head.

"Then what are you?" he thought out loud, "Well, do you want to return to what you once were?"

The toad bobbed its head up and down.

Ikkaku then saw a swirling tower of fire heading towards him.

"Alright then," he said to the toad, "As soon as I find a way to restore you to your true form I shall. But you must swear on your soul that once I do, you shall grant me three wishes."

The toad bobbed its head up and down, nothing could be worse than staying a toad for all eternity.

As the tornado was about to mow him down, he threw the toad away from him, then he was sucked into the vortex.

* * *

Mikio found himself on the bank lying facedown on the bank of a river somewhere. Standing in front of him was a shinobi dressed in an all black garb, he had a black scarf around his neck, a mask covering the lower half of his face, and a tatoo on his forehead.

As Mikio started to stir the shinobi reached down to help him up and helped him walk to the house nearby. Mikio limped into the house and was slowly lowered down to the ground. The shinobi then got a glass of water and had Mikio drink it.

"What were you doing in the river my friend?" the shinobi asked.

"I don't know, last thing I remember was being sucked up into a tornado."

"What's that?"

"It a swirling tower of usually wind. Have you not encountered one yet?"

"I have not," the shinobi admitted, "Where do you live, maybe I can help you get home."

"I...can't remember where I live," Mikio said, "But before I got here I was travelling with some friends in search of my memory."

"You too have lost your memory?" the shinobi asked astonished.

"Indeed I have, friend, indeed I have."

"Where were you last with them?"

"Outside Sunagakure no Sato in Kaze no Kuni. Do you know how to get there?"

"I'm sorry friend, but I have not heard of such a place, you have been blown far from your homeland it seems."

"Yes, it seems so," Mikio said sounding slightly defeated.

"Well since you'll be staying with me for an indefinite time, you might as well help me around the house, as well as defend the house."

"I'm Mikio by the way, a shinobi."

"People call me Karasu, I too am a shinobi."

"Maybe I can help you with missions."

"Maybe. Something tells me I can trust you."

"Thank you."

Mikio helped Karasu with some of the missions they newly instated local lords had been sending them. Apparently Karasu's clan still existed, but he was banished for past actions against the clan. Leaving him as a clanless ninja. So Mikio adopted him, as his little brother, they then named themselves the Rosuto brothers. The deicision for their moniker was a little scroll among Mikio's sealed belongings, it was a scroll of acceptance into the Rosuto clan. The undersigned name was Rosuto Juushu.

The leader and founder of Rosuto no Kuni apparently knew of Mikio's plight and decided to give him a more solid identity. He was Rosuto Mikio, and his brother was Rosuto Karasu, their honorary brothers being Myoboku Jiraiya, Ikkaku Sennin, and Asahi Haru.

The brothers had been asked to do several missions that involved assassinations, kidnappings, thieveries, robberies, stalling, transport, hunting, reconnaissance, and some other ones that Karasu had never had to do during the civil war, like grocery shopping, weeding gardens, catching lost pets.

The brothers had to defend their hideout with their retainers, these men being deserters of their factions in the previous war, plus two yojimbo, the brothers had eight retainers all in all, Mikio granted them the clan name Okugi. The invaders of their forest home were mostly barbarians that tried to steal from them, sometimes the invaders or tresspassers were ninja from other clans who had grudges against Karasu.

With the help of Mikio and some training in more advanced Jutsu, the Rosuto tenth family, as Mikio decided to call themselves, became quite a formidable force.

Mikio had been with Karasu for more than two years, yet he did not give up the hope that he would someday be reunited with his friends. Karasu knew that that day would come, so the brothers made a pact, should they ever part, they would find each other again.

One day there was a mission request sent to the brothers, it requested the Rosuto tenth branch to travel to an abandoned castle and find out what the mysterious lights that some passing soldiers had seen coming from the place. That day it was the only mission request that was sent to them, the pay was great, it was almost too good to be true, but their honor and trust with the clan of the client forced them to accept the mission.

The ten members of the Rosuto Tenth as they were refered to as, reached the castle in record time. The abandoned castle was never retaken due to tens of failed attempts, something always happened to the people that occupied the castle, they were always forced to leave the premises for always unexplained reasons. It was found on the plateau of a medium sized mountain, it overlooked a small lake, and was surrounded by a forest. The castle walls were built to look like a five five pointed star, that is if one were to look at it from the skies. There was a second wall, and outer wall that circled the inner wall, but touched all the points of the star. All in all the two walls made were built to look like a pentagram. At each point of the star shaped wall there was a three story tower, there were several building lying around, most of them houses, shrines, and small warehouses. The castle was actually a castle town. There was only one gate in and out of the castle town. There were three levels in the castle town, or three tiers with stairs leading to the next one. Right smack dab in the middle of the third level was the seven story castle keep. The mysterious lights that the passing soldiers had seen were coming from the top floor of the castle keep.

Around the perimeter of the town there was a moat with only one bridge. Putting on a small rebreather mask Mikio dunked his head into the moat and saw lots and lots of bamboo spikes covering the moat bed. Which he informed his companions of.

So the ten men cautiously crossed the bridge. Once they were in front of the gate the ten men split into pair to investigate the town grounds, unlike most castle towns this one had its walls surround the town and not just the castle.

The two yojimbo moved off together, the two former Ichijo samurai went off together, the two former priests went off to examine the shrines that littered the town, the two former Akame swordsmen catiously moved in the direction of the castle keep, and the Rosuto brothers threw their grappling hooks at the wall and pulled themselves up on it.

The brothers treated the mission just like any other, they made use of all the tricks they knew not to be spotted, they blended in with the shadows and moved where moonlight was not present whenever possible. They moved through the second level of the town spotting no one and nothing of interest, although Karasu would on occasion stop to pick up mushroom and other small things. The frist level was where the actual town was found, the second level housing the military related things, while the third level held the keep. As the duo made their way to the nearest wall that led upwards they realized that the town was just too quiet, but they did not have the luxury of time to wonder about that, so they used their grappling hooks to once again pull themselves up the wall.

As they landed on the third level in full view of the keep, they noticed that there absolutely no signs that anyone had been near the keep in decades. Nothing was out of place, there was absolutely nothing to betray the emptiness of the castle town. There were no remnants of past occupations, there were no insects, no crickets, nothing. The sky only help the moon with no stars accompanying it, but they remembered that when they were travelling to the castle there were stars in the sky. Now there was only the moon and some thin clouds.

Against their better judgement the brothers decided to split up, Karasu would enter through the main doors, while Mikio would scale the outside of the keep, they would later meet up on the top floor.

The two former priests were going through all the shrines of the town that they could find, all that they found in or near the shrines were some paw prints, paw prints belonging to a menagerie of animals. They had seem the prints of kuma, usagi, kitsunes, inu, ookami, oushi, and others. This caused them to hold their katanas in front of them as they moved, they suspisciously watched the shadows incase these creatures decided to spring out and ambush them.

The two samurai were searching for clues and the like on the second level. They were currently in an armory filled to the brim with weapons and armor, but there was something out of place in an abandoned place, there were footsteps outside the armory. The footsteps sounded like people running. The two samurai decided to investigate the unusual occurrence, one of them peaked outside through a crack in the door, they still heard the footsteps, but they saw no one running. So they slowly crept out, eyes alert and prepared for anything.

The two swordsmen were walking around the grounds around the keep on the third level, they were following some footprints in the dirt, footprints that belonged to what appeared to be a big man, or a bear wearing boots or shoes or slippers.

The former priests found themselves backed up in a corner, the only thing between them and the predators before them were their katanas. There were bears, wolves, and tigers in front of them. They were gowling and slowly moving in on what looked like an easy kill and a free meal.

As one the beasts pounced only to meet four katanas, the yojimbo duo had spotted the two former priests being cornered by the beasts and had rushed to their aid, and subsequently jumped in just in time.

The four combatants used their unoccupied hand to punch the beasts, their feet and legs to kick at them, and their ever handy swords to, cut slash and stab at the beasts until the things were finally dead at their feet.

But before they could relax they heard clashes of steel against steel, they used what ninja training they had to jump from the first level to the second to search for the source of the metal clashing.

Moments later they spotted the two samurai who were battling a great many soldiers. The two men were standing back to back, the other defending the other's backs. There were no bodies of the fallen around, the two samurai looked to be tiring, so the four men rushed the soldiers and cut, slashed, and stabbed into them until the four reached the tired samurai.

The men paired up back to back to attack the soldiers and make sure that none of them got behind them. In any fight having the enemy get behind you is a bad thing. This back to back strategy solved that problem, but it lessened the mobility of the fighters. The fight was extreme close quarters combat. There must have been hundreds of the soldiers and only six of them. Everytime they cut down one three more would take its place.

Soon they noticed some of the soldiers were soaring over head. They heard unholy screams coming from the soaring soldiers and they flew through the air. In the direction that they were coming from were two of their companions, behind the two swordsmen was a giant bear of a man, he was running after the duo while flinging soldiers out of his way. One hand flung the soldiers out of his way, while his other hand held a very large double bladed axe.

The soldiers upon seeing this new arrival did not back down, they actually looked revitalized. Their attacks became more fericious, more aggressive, they even started flinging some of their own at the defending men.

All eight retainers had come together, they had formed a small circle, and were quickly moving away from the running giant, and they killed soldiers left and right, their will live was far greater than the intent to kill of their assailants.

Before long their running led them to the gate of the town, the had a choice between running out and leaving their lords behind to fend for themselves against this surprising horde, or stay and fight.

They chose to stay and fight.

The priests dropped their swords and started going through a short seal sequence, ending in the tiger seal, bringing their fingers up to their mouths they let fly hundreds of tiny balls of fire at the oncoming horde until they ran out of breath, then they did it again. All eight of them had some ninja training, in both the styles of their two masters.

The samurai ran towards their enemies slashing their swords in the air as they ran, their swords sent cutting winds at the soldiers taking out many of their number. They alternated between downward slashes, upward slashes, and diagonal slashes.

The swordsmen's katanas hit the ground as their hand flew a seal sequence, slamming their open palms to the ground they sent earth spikes at the enemy, impaling many in their paths.

The yojimbo sheathed their swords and used some shortcuts that they had come up with created fiery dragons out of some of the small fireballs, and made the dragons ram into many of the rushing soldiers. Their goal was to incinerate the giant.

As the samurai reached the frontlines of their enemy they hacked and slashed their way to the giant, their katanas were coated in chakra which enabled their katanas to send out wind cutters with each slash, taking out more than just the soldier they had cut into. Some of the winds had hit the giant whom they were heading towards.

The priests had soon run out of spare chakra, they were not ninja so they could not use ninjutsu for long periods of time, so they picked up their katanas and sprinted to join their samurai brothers. The two swordsmen following in their wake.

One of the yojimbos stopped controlling his dragon, which dissipated after directly hitting the giant three times, he ran at the now out in the open giant, his brother following shortly behind him.

The eight men decided that the giant was the biggest threat and concentrated on him. They hacked and slashed at him until they moved as one, the finishing blow was a combined slash at the neck of the giant.

They jumped away to watch as the giant fell to the ground dead. His body and the bodies of all the still standing soldiers fading into noneexistence.

Something was definitely wrong, bodies don't just vanish. They lie still.

The retainers knew that their masters may need their help so they used what chakra they had left to spare and made their way towards the keep to meet up and aid their masters.

Karasu had encountered many traps, that although they were old, were still very deadly, all the training that he and his clansmen had been doing had paid of, he sported only a few small scrapes, but overall he was fine. He was on the second to the top floor of the keep when he encoutered his first problem. The room that he had just entered was filled with all sorts of soldiers, there were so many of them that he decided not to count them, before trying to talk to them they moved as one and attacked him. Luckily his retainers were not too far from him, Karasu having disabled all the traps that he had encountered had made taken him some time which allowed his retainers to catch up to him.

The nine men then hacked and slashed their way to the stairs, upon reaching it they bolted upwards. Higher ground was always a good thing.

Due to the fighting Karasu had sustained some nasty, but not life threatening, injuries as had his men. They sported cuts, bruises, and other things. But they had made it to the top floor.

While the other nine were off doing whatever it was they were doing Mikio had reached the top floor and entered through the only window in the floor. He was met with the sight of an old man wearing the robes and kimono of a daimyou, who bade him to sit across from him. He was offered some tea and some sweets.

Mikio decided not to insult the daimyou, so he sat down and accepted the offered refreshments.

"I heard of your great deeds young lord," the daimyou said.

"My deeds?" Mikio asked confused.

"Yes, how you have taken in nine strays, and accepted them into your family."

"Nine strays?"

"Your brother in name and in blood and you have done, and those eight loyal retainers of yours."

"Yes, they are my family here," he confirmed.

"I also am aware of your plight, one of two I believe. One your memory, the other your friends."

"Yes, but..." Mikio asked, "How did you know of those things?"

"I have many eyes and ears everywhere. But most of all you have helped one of my children find his will to live, his own Will of Fire."

"You know of Hi no Kuni? Of the Elemental Continent?" Mikio desperately asked.

"Yes, I have been there before. One of my crows lost his ability to fly. You have taught him how to spread his wings again. I thank you for this."

"Uhm...you are welcome, sir."

"Now, the mystery of the flashing lights is what brought you here, yes?"

"It is."

"Then I shall tell you what those soldiers on the road had seen that night," the daimyou said, "It was the arrival of a vortex of fire, it came to take you back, but I made it leave, you still had much to do. That request is a month late. I made sure of it."

"What?! Why?! If you knew my plight why did not let it stay and wait for me? Why?" Mikio said as he grabbed the daimyou by his robes.

"Calm down and I shall tell you," he calmly said.

So Mikio put him down, and waited as patiently as he could. The daimyou was taking his time sipping some tea and eating some sweets before explaining his actions to the shinobi.

"You were not ready to leave, had you left you would have regretted leaving your family. So I let you spend some more time with them, create more happy memories with them. Tell me, were you that eager to leave them then?"

"No..." was the quiter answer that was given.

"Now, you are ready to leave, but do not fret you will see them again. In a month's time after you have left the lands will shift and these lands as you know them will merge with Elemental, ten years shall pass for the Rosuto Tenth family before you see each other once again."

"W-why so long?"

"Because that is the way it was meant to be, recall the most recent continent-wide earthquake that you have felt."

"..."

"Have you recalled it?"

"Yes, no one died during that time..why what is so special aside from that fact?" Mikio asked.

"It was when Yomi no Kuni and her brothers merged with Elemental."

"I see," he decided to just believe.

"The window that is behind you is now a gateway to the vortex, exit this castle through it and continue your quest. We shall see each other again, as I will grant your family a gift, my daughter shall bind your family to mine for all time, and you and yours forever more shall have my favor. I have enjoyed my time with you. I bid you farewell, my new friend," the daimyou said before he, like the soldiers, vanished, this time before Mikio's very eyes.

The door to the room he was in exploded inwards, Mikio was startled and almost drew his naginata, but stopped at the sight of his brother. He went to hug his brother and the other eight, then walked back to the window.

"My brother I will miss you, you and the eight. But this is not goodbye, I shall see you all again in ten years time. I still have my memory to find, my past to discover, and my Will of Fire to rekindle," he said, then he opened the window and jumped out before Karasu could say anything. In a blazing burst of spiraling flames Mikio was gone, and what once was ten now were nine.

* * *

Three days after Mikio had left them, the daimyou went to the Rosuto Tenth's hideout. Being a daimyou with an escort of samurai with him, Karasu graciously and honorable let them enter his humble home. His retainers were in running distance should he need their aid.

"I know that you are wondering who I am."

"Yes I am," Karasu confirmed, "I am also wondering why you have come here and how you have found this place."

"I am the master of the castle you invaded. I am the one who sent you the mission to investigate the mysterious lights. I am also the one who last spoke to Rosuto Mikio."

"What?! But you weren't in the room when we got there!"

"You aren't the only one with powers," he stated, "I have come here to fulfil a promise to your brother that I made to him before his departure," he them took out a scroll and handed it over to Karasu.

"What is this?" Karasu said while looking at the unopened scroll.

"It is the written contract of my promise to your brother. A better life for you and your retainers is written within. Read it after I have left, it is as much a promise as it is a challenge," the daimyou said before he stood up and walked out and vanished.

In the scroll were written instructions, simply put they told Karasu that in order for him to see his brother again he had to kidnap the daimyou's youngest living daughter and marry her in secret. After doing this he had to show the daimyou proof of the deed by entering the castle with his then wife, both of them unseen. If he does not do as the scroll instructed, then the armies of the night would rampage throughout the land unchecked and uncontrolled, giving the Shinigami more souls to collect, send to heaven or hell, or to devour. The name of the daimyou was written at the bottom of the scroll, along with a short message saying that Karasu had until the end of the month to present proof of doing the deed. The daimyou's name was Shikyo Kouji, the ninth Daimyou of Yomi, the ninth Daimyou of Jigoku, and the ninth holder of the title Tsukiyomi. His daughter's name was Shikyo Kagura.

"Akira! Daichi! Fumio! Hajime! Junichi! Tadao! Hisao! Hisashi! Get in here! NOW!"

At the roar of their master the four Okugi rush to the main living space of the Rosuto hideout. They kneel before their master and await his commands.

"Akira, Daishi, the two of you are to secure a priest, a Taoist if at all possible."

"Hai!" Akira and Daichi answer before blurring out of existence.

"Fumio, Hajime, gather some kitchen supplies, you are to prepare a wedding feast."

"Hai!" both men blur out of existence to do as the are told.

"Junichi, Tadao, get me the best bridal kimono you can."

"Hai!" they too vanish to do as they're told.

"Hisao, you clean up the hideout. Hisashi, you coordinate with everyone."

"Hai!" Hisao said before he too vanished.

"Karasu-sama, if I may ask..."

"Ask away Hisashi."

"What is going on?"

"I am to kidnap a princess and marry her in secret."

"Why would you do that Karasu-sama?"

"To see Mikio-aniki again, and to build up our clan."

"Hai, I shall take my leave now," then Hisashi bows to his master and calmly walks out of the hideout.

'_No time to waste, I'll do it tonight_' Karasu said to himself.

Once again Karasu was in front of the gate, but this time there were guards. The castle town was in Yomi, a part that the Shinigami gave to Tsukiyomi, who passed it on to his descendants.

Instead of passing through the gate, Karasu just repeated what he did the last he went into the castle. But this time since his aim wasn't at the top, he actually had to search the whole keep for the daughter of its lord.

'_Well these things don't always look the same on the inside_,' Karasu mused in the shadows, '_Might as well start from the bottom and work my way up_.'

So he moved some chakra onto his hands and feet and walked into the keep while the guards were looking away, then he stuck himself to the ceiling. It is a known fact that not that many people bother to look up. That is how he did his search, he crawled on the ceiling starting from the bottomost floor, which was the dungeon.

So far he hadn't encountered anyone, not a soul was in sight. Not even a rat or a mouse. Nothing. It was like that night. Karasu feared that should be move up to the floor above he'd be greeted by lots of soldiers who he'd have to get rid of, life, bodies, everything.

While he was making his way to the stairs he noticed a door that he hadn't noticed before, his dark musings must have triggered some kind of mechanism that recvealed such things. As he thought of having to kill more people, his mind filled itself with all the many ways he knew to kill people. His bloodlust grew, but it was uncontrolled.

His curiosity got the better of him, so he crept silently and cautiously to the door. Pressing his ear to the door his dark thoughts vanished as he heard someone inside, the breathing was slow so it was possibly someone sleeping. He had to be thorough in his search so he put up a barrier around him to silence any noise that his movements or the door's would make and opened the door. Inside was a girl with long red hair, she opened her eyes for a second then closed them again, she had light brown eyes. She had a cute round face, full pink lips, and based on how her blankets hugged her figure.

'_My oh my, what a figure! GAH! What kinds of thoughts are these! I've been spending waay to much time around Akira and Daichi!_'

He dropped down to the floor beside the bed, and looked the sleeping beauty over, he even pulled off the blanket, what he was met with was the sight of her naked body, it wasn't cold so she wouldn't feel anything, there was no hidden breeze either.

She rolled over and faced the wall, her back to him.

'_Lets see, the scroll said that she had a skull birthmark on the back of her neck._'

So he parted her hair and saw the mark.

'_Found you._'

So he placed the forced sleep jutsu on the girl, thenwrapped her up in the blanket. With one arm around her, he formed a single halfseal, channeled some chakra and in his place was a Chishio Bushin that quickly used transformed himself into the the girl, the transformation was based solely on the memory of his creator which was passed to him via the chakra link.

Karasu, with the girl in his arms, ran like a bat out of hell in the direction of the Rosuto hideout.

Once he got there, he laid the girl down on a futon in the main room of the hideout. His retainers lived in small tree houses in the trees that surrounded his back garden.

As he sat down beside the sleeping beauty, his retainers gathered in front of him, Hisashi reported that all the preparations had been completed. The ceremony would take place in the garden, the traps and whatnot had already been moved. The wedding feast would occur there as well.

"Use Jutsu if you must, but get her ready for the ceremony."

"Hai," they answered.

A few minutes later using some chakra strings Akira and Daichi were controlling the now dolled up Kagura, and made her stand before the officiator of the wedding ceremony.

At the last part as the two were about to be joined as one, she woke up from her jutsu induced slumber. Her body would not respond to her commands, her body refused to move for her, she looked around, she saw the priest, the retainers, and beside her, he saw a young handsome man dressed in ceremonial a kimono, then she noticed that she too was in a similar garb. But before she could do anything or say anything the priest pronouced then to be joined for all eternity as husband and wife.

Kagura was in shock, total and utter shock, she was married and she didn't know how it had happened. She was supposed to marry some great and powerful lord, her father made her stay in the room in the dungeons so that no other man may look upon her, only her husband was supposed to see her, and now she was married to some unknown man, with a handful of men. He didn't look like a lord, he didn't look powerful, he just looked so ordinary, except maybe for the fact that he was quite handsome.

After the ceremony and the wedding reception was over, Kagura was carried bridal style by Karasu to the main room, which served as the bedroom, of the hideout. He lay her down on the futon. But before he did anything to her, he heard some sounds from out in the garden.

"Stay here," he told her, then he walked out the backdoor.

The garden had been transformed back to what it originally was, a death trap for any would be tresspassers. The retainers were in position, all of them holding bows with arrows already nocked. Karasu stood on a platform that was a good three feet higher than his men. He to had a bow in his hand and an arrow already nocked.

The sounds of the footsteps of the tresspassers were getting closer by the second. Suddenly out of the tree line were barbarians, ten of them at a time.

The defenders let their arrows fly, nine out of the ten were killed. Then another wave, and another nine were killed, followed by another and another, until the defenders had to drop their bows and arrows and bring out their blades. There were now too many of them to take down with a few arrows. So the nine men rushed the intruders and killed each and every one of them with one strike each.

The door that led to the garden had been opened from the inside, in front of it stood Kagura. She watched the bloodless massacre, bodies littered the garden, yet no blood was spilt. Then above her a shadow blocked out the sun, as she glanced up she saw that the shadow was a body, the body of the barbarian chieftain. The body was still, as if it stopped in the middle of movement. Then istead of attacking her, as she was thinking, it fell backwards and into one of the pits that littered the garden. Behind the pit that it fell into was her husband, Karasu.

"I thought I told you stay inside?" he asked her.

"Y-y-you d-d-did...I was just curious," she managed to stutter out. She had never seen so much death in her life. The only fights that she had ever seen were those between the soldiers and retainers of her father. This was the first time that she had seen an actual battle.

His movements were too fast for her untrained eyes to track, a few seconds after she replied she was back in the house, on the futon lying down, with him leaning over her form.

"Next time I tell you to do something, you do it. Got it?"

"Hai," she whispered.

"Good, now, I admit, I've never done this..."

"Done what?"

"Consumated a marriage..."

"..."

"Who am I kidding, I've never been married before, but the act can't be so different from those other times."

"..." Kagura couldn't think of anything to say, she just blushed, everything afterwards happened in a blur. When she awoke the next day she was wrapped in a blanket alone in the room, the memories of her wedding night were very fuzzy.

The backdoor opened to allow Karasu back into the room, in one hand was a tray of food, while the other was occupied with closing the door.

"Ahh, good. You're awake," he said as he saw her sitting form, he then placed the tray before her.

"Eat up," he said, "I am sorry that I had to kidnap you to marry you, but it was a nescessary step in finding my brother."

"So..I am a tool, a means to find your brother?"

"Yeah, nothing romantic at all. But even I must admit, you are beautiful."

"..." she decided not to say anything else, no words of forgiveness or anything of that sort. It wasn't likely that she would ever see her father again.

"By the way, in case you haven't figured it out, my name is Karasu, and you are now Rosuto Kagura, a member of the Rosuto Tenth Family."

This information caught her attention, then she was now a part of a family, a clan that was even more talked about then most samurai and ninja clans. She realized that those tall tales that some of her father's soldier spoke of were real.

'_But if I am married to one Rosuto brother, then what happened to the other one?_' she wondered to herself.

"Uhm...Karasu-sama, may I ask a question?"

"You already have. Feel free to ask another."

"What happened to your brother?"

"Oh, he went home, to his home. You know I actually thought that you were some caged bird. But by asking that question, I realize that you are not."

"Huh? What do you mean by caged bird?"

"Oh, its just that you were in a room in the dungeons when I found you."

"Oh, Otou-sama made me stay there two months ago, he said that he didn't want any other man to see me anymore, since he had promised me to some powerful lord," she said, "But since I'm married to you, that doesn't matter anymore."

"Akira, one of my retainers brought you some kimonos last night, pick one and ready yourself," he told her, then he stood up and walked to the backdoor.

"Why?" she asked.

"Tonight, we will see your father," he told her as he walked out.

Karasu didn't shut the door, Akira did after entering.

"I am Okugi Akira," he introduced himself, "I'll just leave the supplies that you will need in order to look your best."

"Look my best? For what?"

"For when Karasu-sama presents you as his wife to Kyuudaime Tsukiyomi-sama."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter right now, but he is the current literal God of the Moon."

"WHAT?!" she shouted panicked, the only way she knew of meeting a god was to die or something like that.

"Don't worry about it. Mikio-sama, Karasu-sama's brother, explained it to us before he left," he informed her, "The gods and goddesses are immortal, but they too may grow tired of their responsibilities, so they appoint mortals to act as them, or govern in their stead. Tsukiyomi-sama still exists, but he has chosen his descendants to govern the moon for him."

"That sounds like something Otou-sama once told me."

"Good, now get dressed, you have until sunset."

Come nightfall Karasu found himself once again outside the gate to the castle town ruled by Shikyo Kouji. He needed to get in as stealthily as he did the last time. He would not get caught.

He tossed up his grappling hook, then he climed up the wall. He would not use his chakra if he coud help it. Somehow he knew that Kouji had a way of detecting the usage of it this time around.

After reaching the second level, he made his way to the wall that would lead him up to the third level, then he used his grappling hook to climb up.

Just like the first time he had seen the keep place there were flashing lights coming from the top floor.

'_Looks like thats where I gotta go...Wonder if the door was fixed_' he wondered to himself.

So he once again used his grappling hook, this time to pull himself up or help him climb up the outside of the keep. In record time he was by the only window on the top floor of the keep.

'_I have a feeling that my blood clone hasn't been found out yet..._' he wondered, then he peeked in to confirm that indeed his clone was still in existence.

There was no better time then the present, he smashed his way into the room, he actually succeeded in surprising Kouji. Before anyone else in the room could act, he pulled out his naginata and shoved it into the gut of his Chisio Bushin. Instead of the illusion of someone dying the clone was surrounded by smoke as soon as Karasu pulled out the blade.

When the smoke cleared Kagura and the eight Okugi appreared in the room.

"How's that Yuurei-sama?" Karasu asked Kouji.

"Impressive. Yes, well, at the end of the month I shall fulfil my end of the deal, after your coronation ceremony the ground shall shake and from the heavens a light shall bring these lands together with Elemental," he stood and walked closer to the newlyweds, "What will you name your future land?"

"Yami no Kuni, the Land of Darkness," was Karasu's immediate reply, as if he were possesed.

"A land of perpetual darkness, nice, I like it. A place where only the moon's light brightens the sky, with the absence of the light of stars, and the clouds adding a little beauty to the skies. I like it."

"If I may," Daichi said, "It fits our natures, but what of the other lands?"

"We shall let a higher power deal with that. Elemental is said to be a continent so vast that not all of it had been explored, and we shall be a part of the region that has yet to be explored."

"Otou-sama, are you saying that I am married to the man you promised me to?" Kagura asked her father.

"Yes, although the promise had yet to be made at the time," he said as he smiled at her.

He was rewarded for his efforts by having a fist making contact with his head, which sent him crashing down to the ground.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR??" Kouji shouted as he got back on his feet.

"I don't like being used for someone else's enjoyment," Kasaru stated.

"Hmph, blame my actions on your brother, he brought about this karma on you," Kouji said as he dusted himself off, "The Karma has passed, deal with it, at least I didn't send a flock of crows to attack you."

After having said that Kouji left the room, to speak with his retainers and such about the preparations thathad to be made, as well as berrate his soldiers and hired help for letting Karasu in so easily.

* * *

After waking up from his vortex of winds induced sleep, Jiraiya found himself on an island in the middle of a massive lake. His island was right smack dab in the middle of the lake, the lake was so wide and so long that Jiraiya could not see the shoreline.

How did he know that it was a lake, well right beside where he woke up was a sign that read "Welcome to the Middle of the Lake!".

Being in the middle of a lake meant that no matter which direction he went, he would get to shore all the same, the time it would take to travel would be the same no matter what direction he moved. Having nothing else on the island asides from the sign, since he couldn't find anything else, he decided to run on the surface of the lake.

What the Ero-sennin did not know what that if he had pumped some chakra into the sign it would turn into a speed boat. But alas, it was his loss, that his imagination was not creative enough.

As he ran on the water's surface he failed to realize that there were things in the water following his movements. These things had encountered a similar sapien in the past that had disturbed the tranquility of the lake. These things wanted a piece out of the person who had disturbed them before, but since they couldn't get to that person, this unsuspecting one would be their object for them to exact their revenge upon.

The creatures at the forefront of the underwater charge were great beasts with four flippers for limbs, its skull resembled that of a crocodile's, it had an elongated and cylindrical snout, its tail resembled a sea snakes' tail, and it was roughly more than forty nine feet in length. These big ass hell monsters of muscle mass were heading Ero-sennin's way.

Jiraiya thought that since he was stuck in the middle of no where, he would have some fun, running for as long he had been running was great for blood circulation and all that, but it got boring, he hadn't even encountered one monster yet. So he decided to act like a toad and hop along the surface of the water. His first jump allowed him to avoid the massive maw of the tylosaurus that tried to take a big life threatening bite out of him. After landing he took a quick glance behind him and the creature.

'_To think is to create....WHY DID I HAVE TO THINK MONSTER IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?!?!?!?!!_'

He immediately went into battle mode, he couldn't afford to stay still in the water, so he hopped away farther and farther from the middle of the lake, and closer and closer to the shore. It took him three precious seconds to land and hop away, in the span of that time another tylosaurus would snap its jaws in the space that the super pervert had just vacated.

It had gotten to the point where there were other monstrous creatures whose heads, and sometimes bodies, started to break the water's surface in an attempt to eat the super pervert.

After a few hours of constant hopping and dodging certain doom, Jiraiya spotted the shore. He also spotted a towering vortex of spiralling flames.

'_If a vortex of wind brought me here, then that solitary tower of flame is bound to take me somewhere else.._' he thuoght to himself.

As he hit the water from his latest stop he floored it, he ran for the shore with all the speed that he could get his feet on. As he blasted towards the tower of power there were several sonic booms that could be heard, which the creatures underneath the surface felt through the shockwaves that were sent beneath the waves.

They hesitated in their chase, which was perfect for Ero-sennin, since it allowed him to jump into the vortex unhindered.

Having lost the chance to get a life sized bite out of their prey, they turned on each other.

Hiding up in the trees that litter the shorelines are a couple hundred blond haired teens, they watched the beasts tear into one another, as if they were studying their movements, their attacks, and how they tried to take out that blasted Ero-sennin.

* * *

The four men were spat out of the whirling tornado of scordhing flames in front of the main gate of Kiba no Kuni's Daimyou's residence.

The moon had taken his place in the sky, the four men found Kiyomi, once again by a campfire, with all their tents and whatnot encircling the campfire. They didn't bother asking how she managed to convince the daimyou to let her set up camp there, all that mattered was that she was there.

After finishing their dinner they each went to a separate tent, and fell asleep. Jiraiya still slept in a separate tent from Kiyomi.

In the span of the first month after Ikkaku joined the group, the men had experience three brand new large scale adventures. First was the fiasco with Ryo-Wo, the second was the chase ending with the forgiveness of Inari, and the third was the being sucked up in a tornado and split up. Haru ended up somewhere in the Philippines, Ikkaku landed on the moon, Mikio landed in Japan, and Jiraiya landed in a massively massive lake with lots of things that wanted to eat him.

The two months after that the four men kept finding themselves in various caves being chased by a number of different creatures, ranging from ghosts, molten monsters, kappas, kitsunes, dragons, the occasional goblin, ushi-oni, an assortment of oni, a couple of insulted gods, Touken, and the like.

* * *

Three months and three weeks into their journey as a group of five, the men actually got lost in a supermarket in Na no kuni. Kiyomi had opted to stay at the hotel and wait for them there, it wasn't like the men would get lost in a supermarket.

But lo and behold the men did get lost in a supermarket. They found themselves a few hours into their shopping in a forest inside the grocery, how it got in there, they didn't want to know, how to get to the cashier is what they wanted to know. There were directions everywhere, but none that pointed them to the exit.

They walked for hours and hours more, searching for anymore signs of life until they came across a skeleton of a man one hand gripping a shopping cart handle.

It wasn't some elaborate genjutsu to make customers go bonkers, it wasn't some prank to get customers to lower their guards so that some dude could steal their money or something, it was far worse, it was real.

Apparently the four men were still in the vegetable and fruits section of the grocery turned forest. How did they know this, well Haru had kicked a pumpkin that grew legs and started to chase them. Ths pumpkin was followed by some radishes, a couple dozen apples, three carrots, a pineapple, a pear, a half dozen peaches, fifteen lemons, a crate load of bananas, and a bunch of othe giant fruits and vegetables. These green produce were calling for the four men's blood. They were somehow shouting things about revenge against he planteaters, vengeance for the other plants that met their fate on the plates of salad eaters, and other such plant related nonsense, usually shouted by extreme environmentalists, but these weren't environmentalists, these were honest to godness walking, talking, produce.

The four men managed to shake the things after a few more hours of running here, there, into a wall, and everywhere.

But just as they were about to relax and let down their guard, they were assulted by the meat section of the grocery jungle, yes no longer a forest but a jungle, the meat and everything that came from animals converged on one another and formed a giant meat monster, in the shape of a giant bull, well several giant bulls made out of meat and other animal related food.

So the four men once again ran here, there, through the wall again, and everywhere, which landed them in front of the produce. So they did as before and ended up face to face with the giant meat bulls. Then they repeated the process over and over again until they could run no longer, not because they didn't have the energy to do so, but because they were right smack dab in the middle of the mutant produce and the giant meat bull. These are the moments or times that they wished they were Akimichis or something like those big boned Konoha-nins.

The sides charged at the four men, the only thing they could do was duck once the two sides actually pounced. Meat met plant, it was a clash of the titans of the food world. Beef, pork, chicken, and fish ganged up on the carrots, lemons, watermelons, and cabbages. The other veggies and fruits teamed up against the other meat and fish related foods. Blood, guts, and produce were flying everywhere. It turned into a battle royale of flavor once the herbs and spices joined in the fray. It was as wacko as jacko in that place, heads were rolling as eggs went cracking.

It was quite a mess, the four men just sat there on the floor, mesmerized by the food. The only thing that was missing was all the junk food.

It was after that thought that giant chocolate monsters and other monsters made of sugary goodness jumped into the mess. Their sweet and delicious goodness were overwhelming the competition. Their combined unhealthy filth was too much for either side. So the meat and plant sides joined forces to battle this healthless foe. It was a battle of breakfast, lunch, and dinner rolled into one. Appetizers, the main course, soup, and desert were battling for dominance.

But the one to rule them all will a soggy fist was the final entrant into the fray, the Instant Ramen had arrived. The prepackaged near godliness of the foods had arrived, with it came the bowls of boiling water, ready to boil out the nutrients of those healthy foods in not time, the champion of healthless cuisine had arrived. In the end the junk food came out on top. The giant insant ramen bowl threatened to come for them if they ate anymore health foods for the rest of their stay in Na no Kuni.

After that proclamation, the four men ran through the maze of winding aisles until they finally found themselves infront of the cashiers, behind them were forty shopping carts loaded with junkfood. For the sake of their continued existence in Na no Kuni they offered up what money they had, and a few signed copies of their books, to buy the junk food and appease the champion of the junk food.

Little did they know that the Supermarket or grocery that they had been shopping in was owned by Rosuto Younen, the company. After the four men left all the mutated food vanished to reveal several blonds, all with kitsune like grins plastered on their faces.

'_Punishment for leaving me...he he heh...thanks Zombie-sensei_' thought a thousand plus year old Konoha-genin, officially he was a genin, although he hadn't seen or even been in Konohagakure no Sato for centuries.

Once all the junk food had been sealed up in storage scrolls the four men made their way as fast as their little legs could carry them back to the hotel to check out of it and drag Kiyomi out of Na no Kuni as fst as they could, and since she was usually slower than them, Jiraiya grabbed her breasts and...well...lets stick to the chest area shall we...which caused weeks of dedication and hardwork to vanish, but it also had the effect on Kiyomi that all four men were wanting to happen, she ran after them like she was possesed by a demon bat that had just escaped the clutches of hell or something like that or even something that was faster than that.

Of course once she caught up with the men, Jiraiya had to plaster a big chunk of ice to his privates to get them to heal. The other men just looked like mummies for the remainder of the week.

* * *

It had been four months since Ikkaku had joined the party, it had been twelve months since Jiraiya last saw Naruto, his apprentice, it had also been twelve months since the two, Master and Apprentice, had left the gates of their beloved Konohagakure no Sato. It was exactly one year. How did Jiraiya know this...well...

"Ero-sennin, the Voice says dig a hole in the ground with your bare hands til your fingernails start to bleed and eventually fall off one by one, once you have run out of fingernails you should find a wooden chest. The Voice says to get that chest of the ground using your teeth. Once the chest is out of the ground you are to jump up and down three times and shout to the world that you are gay and...." Mikio paused in his giving Jiraiya instructions, "Scratch out that shout to the world bit. Skipping that minor little detail, you should then open the chest by kicking it open, and making sure that the lid hits Haru's head before he does something that will get Tsukiyomi mad at us."

"Uhm...Hai!" Jiraiya decided to just get it over with. The last time he refused to do something like this due to Mikio telling him to, Haru got a dozen bears to chase the three men round and round the campsite until Kiyomi kicked one in the balls for disturbing her sleep.

After temprarily sending Haru into a coma, Jiraiya peered into the chest to find some baby pictures of Kiyomi, and a scroll addressed to the him.

It read: "A year ago to the day, you left your village with one student, three months into your journey you left your companion. Three months back you almost found him again. Twelve months to this day you left and lost, and still haven't found. Don't worry, you still have two more years of separation. Good luck."

It wasn't signed by anyone, but at the bottom of the main message was a smaller one.

Which read: Mikio, you tell that Voice of yours he is so screwed. Ero-sennin, you do anything to Kiyomi that has anything to do with your nickname and I shall personally have you face the Kyuubi no Yoko. To Ikkaku Sennin, Ryo-Wo sends his regards.

That was all the scroll said. After reading it several times, the scroll got annoyed at how it was being handled and decided to voice its thoughts.

It flew out of the hands of whomever was holding it and self-origami'd itself into a mouth.

"I've been manhandled by men far perverted than you four, and I must say that they were far better at treating an enchanted piece of paper than you four will ever be."

Then it exploded into a thousand pieces just to show the men how displeased it was at how they treated it. Then the pieces of paper, ash, and ink, were carried away by the wind to the shadows within a nearby cave.

'_Two more years?!?!?!?! Here's hoping I find Naruto before I die...I wonder what's the color of Kiyomi-chan's undies today..._' his lecherous grin told Kiyomi who was watching the super pervert more or less the train of his thoughts.

Normally she wouldn't really mind, but it was that time of the month. Jiraiya, and the other three by relation, found themslves flying through the air at breakneck speeds.

Haru's head landed in a hornet's nest while his other head went through a bee hive. Mikio landed face first in some bear dung, his hands in muddy water. Ikkaku found himself lying on his back in a pit filled with monitor lizaards. Jiraiya, well...somehow landed face first in the middle of Tsunade's forehead, the one of the Hokage monument.

They all managed to get back to camp in record time, it was their turn to hunt and gather. The consequences of not completing that mission were dire. It was either not get there in record breaking time, or eat the twenty cart loads of junk food that still remained.

There was just something about junk food that gave them the creeps.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Note #1: I made a mistake in a previous chapter. I mistook a naginata for a tanto or a wakizashi. So yeah...Karasu and Mikio use wakizashi not naginata...

Note #2: My version of the world is bigger than ours. My version of the Elemental Continent is that it is the size of five Asia. Population wise it could be that big, but its not. There are still vast tracks of land that are not populated by humans. The Hidden Villages are called Hidden since compared to the cities they are small. If a Hidden Village has a population of say five hundred thousand individuals, then a city would hold five times that, thus allowing a daimyou's army to reach more than a million units. Not that I'm saying that that is how much they had. Hope this helps...

Note #3: Don't be surprised if I say that Hi no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni, Kaminari no Kuni, and Kaze no Kuni are roughly the sizes of well lets just say that I'm using Asia and Africa as my references of country area. Hi no Kuni being China and then some, Tsuchi = India, Kazakhstan, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan. Kaminari = Tsuchi, but slightly smaller. Kaze = Russia. Mizu = Indonesia and Malaysia.

Note #3: Be prepared for a long one. Its the longest one so far.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 10**

Exactly one year had passed since Naruto left Konohagakure no Sato. It had also been more or less eight months since he had been dropped into a coma. Sure training had gone smoothly, but waking up having a library worth of knowledge, and then some, kinda made his brain feel like mush for the first second or two. His muscles and bones all felt like jelly from dissuse. He was taught everything about almost everything, most importantly about his Kage Bushin, but for some reason it wasn't only the memories or the knowledge that he got from them, it was everything else, it was as if he had trained for centuries with a body with limitless potential. Time to move onto his next lesson. Whereas the first lesson was gaining knowledge, the next lesson would be application.

Kyonshi had informed one of the clones about lesson number two, just not what it entailed.

So getting out of his infirmary bed, Naruto got dressed in his new outfit, the one his old one transformed into during the unlocking of his other power sources. Having lost Touken to an unorthodox extraction, Naruto had lost one of his power sources, but at the same time this enabled him to gain two or even three more, sort of. One was the addition of magic into his arsenal, the second one the power of creation, so to speak, at his fingertips, sort of. The third power, was the military might that he had accumulated or gained. He was a literal one man army, with almost everything an army or a country would need, the only thing missing were other living people.

After leaving the infirmary Naruto went straight to the mess hall to have a much needed food break, living off of liquids does wonders to one's stomache and stuff, nothing to taste, it just goes fwip into the stomach or the blood stream. Naruto desperately needed to get some grub, his tongue badly needed exercise.

Once in it he sat down at the the table that his friends were eating at. Hyakume was wearing a black shirt, pants, and shoes, all of which contained his ninety eight eyes, the other two were on his face. Dorotabo was wearing his laborers uniform, which was a grey shirt and brown shorts, he wore a pair of straw sandals. Touken was not in full fox form, he opted to eat in his human form, which suffice to say was stunningly beautiful for a male, he was a prime example of a bishounen, he had red hair and red eyes, he wore a white collared shirt and blue cargo pants.

When the three men saw him they greeted him and asked him how his training went. He replied by saying that phase one was complete. He got loads of info and "experience" shoved into his brain and body. Touken joked about his lack of experience with the opposite sex, and further added that most of the blonde's friends seemed to be guys.

It wasn't Naruto's fault that he still didn't feel the urges. Although his mind wasn't as pure as it once was, there was just no time to go off courting, or just hanging out with girls. The Sakura-chan bit was just a phase. Being away from her had changed things, seeing Touken in human form had changed things, he wasn't gay or anything, Touken was just that beautiful.

To help him ease his gender preference and his sense of morality, Naruto asked Hyakume to lend him the raunchiest adult novel he owned, he wanted to see how much of a man he was, he wanted to know if being away from real girls for so long had changed his preferences. Clones transforming themselves into his Naruko form did not count.

Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo reassured him that he didn't need something like that to assure himself that he would still in the future chase some skirts. How did they know this, well its because they saw Naruto check out one of the passing naiads that passed their table. Naruto realized that that was true when he caught himself checking out a gaggle of girls at another table.

So he dropped that topic, and found himself into another one. This time revolving around training phase two or lesson two, depending on who was talking. Naruto still had no clue what his second year's worth of training would hold. Touken seemed to have an idea, Hyakume kinda knew, and Dorotabo saw the hourglass doing some acrobatics, at least thats what they told him. Leaving Naruto grasping starws as to what his training would entail.

Hyakume update him on the goings ons of one of his adventure quests, and Naruto found the things Hyakume's questers kept finding themselves in. For some reason, some of the things took hold of some unkown memory that didn't exist. They were probably somehow linked to the stories, but Zombie-sensei probably thought that he didn't need some useless stuff to clutter his brain.

After perusing the menu for what to eat for his first breakfast lunch and dinner in a long time, Naruto opted to go with one order of Food of the God, which turned out to be oatmeals, one order of Food of the Maelstorm, which was actually rabbit ramen, and one order of twenty eight inches worth of anchovy pizza.

Naruto's three friends helped him finish the pizza, Kyonshi passed by the table and grabbed a slice before vanishing off to his office.

After saying their temporary farewells, Naruto skipped his way to Kyonshi's little office for the start of lesson number two.

* * *

Kyonshi was in his office eating slices of pizza left and right, he hadn't had a slice for more than five millania, and Naruto's anchivy pizza slice got him to go into craving mode, he was like those pregnant women who crave for weird things, so Kyonshi craved for pizza, the pizza was nothing out of the ordinary, it was the toppings that were.

That was the sight that greeted Naruto as he entered the office, there were boxes and crates and whatnot of pizza lying around the place, the chairs had been replaced with pizza boxes, the table was oozing with cheese, the whole place could be likened to a palace of pizza, or a shrine to the Enlightened One in charge of Pizza creation. So instead of taking the offered seat, he stood in front of Kyonshi's cheese oozing desk.

"So...lesson number two?" Naruto asked, hoping that the talk that lay ahead would distract him from the pizza covered and filled office.

"Student," Kyonshi said, "Let me just finish these last few pizzas and we'll get started."

It took a whole three hours for Kyonshi to finish all of his pizza. After the three hours, it took him another thirty minutes to burp out all the gases that had accumulated in his gut. Thats when he finally addressed his sleeping student who had fallen asleep standing up.

"Naruto? You awake?" he asked his obviously sleeping student.

Getting no reply, Kyonshi brought out a larger than normal harisen and prompty whacked his student's head. This resulted in Naruto kissing floor.

Once Naruto got back to his feet, having recovered from the harisen smack, he stood at attention in anticipation for part two of his training.

"Now that you are awake," Kyonshi began, "I shall begin by introducing you to the title of the lesson."

"So..what is it?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Hold that thought," his sensei said as he spotted a pizza slice wedged between some books on a shelf that Naruto didn't notice until his sensei summoned the pizza slice.

"Zombie-sensei?"

"Right then, onto business!" Kyonshi exclaimed, "Lesson number two is Application."

"I kind of already knew that."

"Huh? How'd you know? I didn't tell you that!"

"Kage Bushin."

"Oh right, you are THAT Naruto, sorry sorry forgot."

"What do you mean by," Naruto did the quoting sign with his fingers, "quote THAT Naruto unquote?"

"Oh, remember the thing about there being more worlds than one?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you're not the first Naruto I've taught."

"Really?"

"Yeah, as of yesterday I had been teaching millions of other Narutos."

"Zombie-sensei..."

"Yes Naruto number zero?"

"Those were my clones.."

"Really? They acted so life like, like they had minds of their own.."

"Kage Bushin, MY Kage Bushin."

"Oh, yeah, forgot you could do that," Kyonshi said thinking out loud, "Wish I had you tap into THAT."

"What is 'THAT'?"

"You don't need to know, ask me when I see you in your next life."

"How about, what would it have allowed me to do?"

"Drop into a commatose state that would last for three years, while allowing you to create roughly seven hundred fifty eight trillion four hundred seventy two billion eight hundred ninety one million three undred twenty thousand seven and one of those lovely clones of yours.."

"..." Naruto was shocked into disbelief, "I-i-is that it?"

"Nope, the last part is that after being in a coma for three years your body would have died, seeing as your mind would have been unable to handle the strain of that many other yous. Also you are not an Enlightened One, the age of creation for those guys was over eons ago, that and no one, none of those stuck up know-it-alls would allow someone like you to become the Enlightened One handling ramen, frankly I am disgusted by the mere thought that anyone, especially you would consider being a higher being with the sole purpose of governing ramen."

"You're just saying that cause you hate the stuff."

"Yes!"

"What does that have to do with the lesson?"

"Absolutely NOTHING!"

"Oh, ok..."

"Now going back to the lesson," Kyonshi returned to his lecture, "I seemed to have forg..."

"Application," Naruto interrupted and supplied.

"Right. Application. For this year, you," Kyonshi pointed his yellow foam finger, which he placed on his pointer fingertip taken from who knows where, at Naruto, "will be applying all your gathered knowledge."

"How exactly am I to do that?" Naruto asked, "I got a world's worth of knowledge that somehow got crammed into my head and more. How am I going to apply that?"

"Well...I was going to have you shake things up a little some.." Kyonshi counted using his fingers and toes, "some...yes that would do it," he thought out loud after counting, "a little more than a thousand years ago."

"WHAT?!" Naruto was shocked.

'_Shake things up a little?..A thousand years ago?..Was this animated corpse kidding?.._' were the kinds of thoughts that popped up in Naruto's head.

"What about causing paradoxes? Anomalies in time? Changing the flow? Causing my history to change? Deleting my character from the game you call Life? Huh? Huh? Huh? What about all those things that could, would, and should happen?" Naruto hastily asked.

"I am Toukou Kyonshi!" he said, "Through you and your ancestors I have adopted your world! The flow of TIME is at my command! NOW, just listen. Capiche?"

"Hai, sensei..." Naruto answered in a somewhat defeated tone.

"I'm going to send you, and those three friends of yours slightly more than a thousand years into the past, into parts of Elemental that are mostly unknown to or mostly unheard of or whatever by most of the presently existing countries and people that you and that perverted sensei of yours and then some.."

"He's a super pervert actually," Naruto stated matter-of-factly.

"I know, but perverted is shorter," Kyonshi said, "Basically, I'm sending the four of you to a war torn area, where you will have free reign to do as you please. You will have precisely one year to accomplish your task there. Don't interrupt me, your task shall be known to you once you get there. Your dream is to become Hokage, rather it is to be recognized for you, to be seen as Naruto and not something else. Your dream is that you are to someday more or less be valued, more so than you already are. Am I correct?"

"Hai. I kinda get the apply part and how to do that in relation to the Hokage bit, but how about the non-mlitary stuff?"

"Simply put you shall get your leadership experience. Think of it as a leadership training camp. Ever been on or to one of those?"

"Nope, can't say that I have."

"Well, do you at least get what I am saying?"

"More or less."

"Well, thats better than nothing."

"If you say so."

"Now that you have been briefed on your task.."

"But you haven't said anything about the task," Naruto interrupted.

"I have, now shush," Kyonshi said, "As I was saying before I was so Narutolly interrupted, "I'm going to grab that little percent of MY world that you have converted into more or less your own, and am going to dump it into a pocket dimension for you to use as your base of operations. Entrance and exit into and out of it will be up to you. Use your imagination on how and what to call it. Basically you will have your own..little world, continet, island. I say island because MY world kinda resembles one, except its so big that even I haven't explored the length and bredth of it."

"So...anything else."

"Yeah, you are going to play alien. Until I say otherwise, no one asides from you, your clones, those pets of yours, Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo, are allowed access to your world. Got it?"

"Hai."

"Now go prepare pack up your stuff."

"But I thought you were going to grab all my things?"

"Those parcels of land and whatnot I'll take care of those. You grab your stuff from your room in this fortress. Bring 'em to your HQ, and go to the roof, the one where you first fell off of."

"Sir, yes, sir," Naruto said as he saluted to his teacher military style, then he left the office to go pack his stuff.

'_It sure is hard thinking up this stuff. Sheesh playing around with Fate's and Destiny's project is harder than it looks! ARGH! This better not blow up in my face else I'll have to start over from scratch..._' Kyonshi thought to himself as Naruto left his office.

* * *

A few minutes later Kyonshi was standing on the air beyond the roof ledge where Naruto would go to after packing and stuff. He was literally grabbing the land masses and whatnot that Naruto had taken as his own. His hands stretched out to grab these things as if they were on a table before him, as if they were toys that he could just pick up. What he was doing was literal child's play to the things he was really capable of.

The pocket dimension that he had created for Naruto's world was tied directly to Touken's former prison gate. That would be more or less where it would be kept until Kyonshi could find a spot in the greater scheme of things for it to go. He would have to form a bunch of tendril connections, and the like.

After packing up everything into the pocket dimension that was to be temporarily contained in Naruto's figurative belly, Kyonshi summoned up an anchovy pizza slice and ate it. Then he returned to his true task at hand. He was forcefuly turning back the clock, carefully setting things up so that no matter what Naruto did, the rest of his world would not get hit by it until it was time for Naruto's little lesson's fruits to be revealed to the rest of the world. Everything would go with the flow once he was done with his little business.

Messing up with the time stream and with the flow of things was seriously some really tricky business. Kyonshi had to literally create eons worth of loopholes to fit in anything and everything that Naruto would, could, should, do and not do with present conditions. Kyonshi made it so that even if Naruto were to somehow end all of creation and beyond, it would somehow turn out the way it was meant to be, complete with Naruto getting trained by Kyonshi. The world would end, all of creation would cease to exist, the Being's influence would disappear, yet well the world and everything else would still go on after that.

"Take note, if I screw up its goodbye to all of you," Kyonshi said to no one in particular, "This is going to be like Naruto killing all of the mamals which would cause man not to evolve, but there would still be humans and fossils of dinos today. Naruto better not make a mess out of things, cause thinking and doing this is giving me a headache. Here's hoping he doesn't ask for an explanation, cause I'm already going into a paradox just thinking of the explanation."

As Irony would have it, Naruto had just gotten to the roof with his three friends.

"Yo! Zombie-sensei how ya gonna make sure that anything I do doesn't mess things of the present up?" Naruto innocently asked, not knowing that his sensei did not want to have to answer that question.

"I might tell you when you die. Wanna find out if I do?" Kyonshi asked.

"Nope!"

"Good."

"**So Bossasaur, what're we gonna be doing?**" Touken asked.

"You three are to be travelling with Naruto, his word is my word so to speak. Just act like how gennins are supposed to act, Naruto will be your figurative Jounin-sensei. Got it?" Kyonshi answered.

"Sure thing Kyonshi-sama," Hyakume and Dorotabo answered.

"**Okie dokie. Naruto is the new Bossasaur. Gotcha. Uhum, Yep. Yup.**"

"Have you been watching Dinosaucers again?" Kyonshi asked.

"**Whoops. Ehehe...sorry Kyonshi-sama**."

"Pair up you four. Touken, I authorize you to inform Naruto how to travel from his world to this one," Kyonshi said.

"**Sure thing sensei.**"

"Now I want all four of you to dance the waltz, you stop when you hear me say stop. When I say stop, the year begins. Got it?"

Instead of answering with words the quartet paired up and started to awkwardly dance the waltz.

"More passion!" Kyonshi shouted.

"More grace!" he would add.

"Watch your steps!" would be heard by the four.

"Don't trip now!"

"Almost there!"

"_**STOP!!!**_" they heard Kyonshi shout, but when they looked around he was not there with them.

* * *

Naruto and friends found themselves standing in a barren wasteland. The land was devoid of life, Naruto using his ability to gather nature chakra was unable to sense any other living thing for miles around aside from himself and his three companions.

Naruto was not the only one to notice this, Touken being one with nature himself, felt something that Naruto was unable to notice, the land had been soaked in blood. It was as if it had rained blood on this patch of earth for days on end. Probably the flood of that crimson liquid only ended a few days prior to their arrival.

Hyakume's eyes shot out of his cloak, all ninety eight of them spread out in search of anything that could clue them in on where they were, and what had happened for life to have simply stopped existing in the place.

Dorotabo, being an agriculturist of sorts, was very familiar with the earth, life was supposed to be born of the earth, but the corrupted land that they were standing on would not be able to sustain life, and to created life would be nearly impossible for the next millenia or more.

"Well, I guess this would be the best place to set up our base of operations," Naruto announced.

"I agree, its not like any one will bother us here," Touken said while in his human form.

"But how would we survive here? The land is not suitable for life," Dorotabo said.

"There really isn't anything around us, it is the ideal place to set up base. My eyes see nothing but wasteland," Hyakume said.

Naruto held out his hand, the blood that had seeped into the soil rose out of the ground and flew through the air and formed a ball of blood in his hand. Using his telekenetic skills, Naruto used the collected blood and drew seals upon seals on the ground with it as ink. When ever he needed more he just focused his mind on collecting more, there was an abundance of it anyway.

* * *

While doing this Naruto had his three companions travel together to see how big the wasteland was. He needed to know how much ground was more or less theirs to do with as they please. So they did as they were told.

* * *

After using up all the blood in his immediate area, Naruto channeled a mix of chakra and magic into the blood drawn seals to activate them. Instantly the seals rose out of the ground and started to pile up on one another. They formed a tower of blodd seals that were fueled by the chakra and moved there by the magic. After a few seconds the seals came together and formed a solid tower of blood.

Placing a palm on the pillar of blood, Naruto imagined that the pillar was duplicated in the center of HIS world. Then he imagined that the pillar started to divide or split from the middle and separate into to pillars. Then from the twin pillars and arch formed from them and connected the two pillars. When this use of his imagination was done, the images that formed in his mind happened in the real world, just as he had imagined it. There stood before him an arch, a portal. He knew that in HIS world there was anohter one identical to the one before him. They would serve as the doorway between worlds.

The portals were constructed, all that Naruto needed to do was to connect the two, mere imagination would not be able to power these things up, more complex things were in order. So once again Naruto used his telekenetic ability to gather up the blood that he could now sense was still in the earth around him. After gathering the blood, he started drawing seals and runes in the space between the two pillars and the arch and the ground. By now some force had made the blood archway crystal.

Once the process of drawing seals had finished, Naruto set them alight with magic and chakra. The door way that connected the two worlds was almost complete. The only thing that needed to be done was to add the key hole and the key. These two things were the easiest parts of Naruto's on the spot made up plan. For the key hole, well the portal itself was the key hole. For the key, Naruto formed the ram seal to gather up some chakra, when he gathered enough for a hundred normal kage bushin he grasped this power and molded it into the shape of a key, then he gathered up a fraction of his magic and infused it into the chakra key to give it a more solid form. Lastly, he imagined the chakra-magic key to gain a silver coat which would keep the two elements melded together. With that done, Naruto had his portal and key all in working condition.

He needed a physical base of operations. So using his link to his clones, he ordered them to prepare the tools and materials that would be needed to construct a formidable base. One that he would be able to attack and defend from. He needed something that would be able to witstand a full on frontal attack from ten SandFish.

Once the supplies had been prepared Naruto opened the Gate, as he now called it. Out of the Gate walked his clones, behind them were cart loads of supplies, materials, and tools. Behind and between these carts were some of the onigumo aka the giant spiders, and the giant scorpions.

During the time that Naruto spend in his coma, his clones, the ones that were created before training officially began had started on the breeding and training program of the animals that he had acquired.

The onigumo and scorpions were followed by a number of rocs, ankylosaurus, and dragons. Naruto needed these beasts for what he had planned. Naruto planned on creating his own mountain, a really small one compared to Kyonshi's, but a mountain nonetheless.

The mountain would be more like a volcano, four walls, and a crater in the middle. They were all standing on what would be the center of the crater. The Gate would be right smack dab in the middle of the crater. In the crater would be the main building of the fortress that Naruto intended to build.

The four walls of the psuedo volcano would serve as the first set of walls surrounding the core of the fortress. The fortress would have five floors below the crater's mouth, and seven floors above the crater's mouth. These twelve floors would vary in height. All in all it would have thirteen floors counting the crater floor where the Gate would be located. The upper seven would be regular in height, while the lower six would have higher ceilings to accommodate a number of things that would need the high ceilings. One or two of the floors would have an A and B or even a C sub-level. Since Naruto planned on installing elevators, the floors would be G for Gate, 1A..1B..1C...and so on for those that will have sub levels until the fifth floor, then the rest would just be 6..7..8..9..10..11..12.

The fortress would be made out wood and stone, like a traditional castle keep. The length and width of each of the floors would be the same, except for the top seven floors which would be considerably smaller. The length and width of the floors found within the crater would be two hundred fifty feet by two hindred fifty feet. The sixth floor would be eighty five feet by eighty five feet. The seventh floor would be seventy five feet by seventy five feet. The eighth floor would be sixty five feet by sixty five feet. The nineth floor would be fifty five feet by fifty five feet. The tenth floor would be forty five feet by forty five feet. The eleventh floor would be thirty five feet by thirty five feet. Floor twelve would be twenty five feet by twenty five feet.

The base support for the structure would be made out of diamond. Four diamond pillars of columbs would hold up the twelve floors. There would also be bridges that connected each of the numbered floors within the crater to the crater walls and the tunnels and structures on and in it. Each floor would have eight bridges each, each being fifty feet wide, and if something would not be able to cross it being too big or too heavy, even though the bridges would be made out of diamond, there would also be four teleportation gates in each floor, each one with a control pannel that would syncronize with the other gates in the whole fortress. All the floors would be connected via stairs and by sixteen elevators elevators, the elevators would only connect the floors within the crater, the ones above would only have stairs and gates.

The Gate floor's ceiling would be two hundred feet above the crater floor, the Gate floor would only house the Gate. The crater would have an estimated diameter of two thousand feet, it wouldn't be like the usual craters that grew wider and wider as it reached the mouth, this one would be a cylindrical crater, it was more like a hole at the top and center of the mountain. The crater would have a diameter of two thousand feet, and have a height from floor to mouth of nine hundred fifty feet. The floor where the gate was formed on would be raised one thousand nine hundred forty five feet higher than its current height. The mountain would be three thousand feet in height, the diameter of its base would be roughly six thousand feet, and distance from the edge of the foot of the mountain to the edge of the crater would be four thousand one hundred sixty nine feet.

Floor one would be divided into three sub levels. Each one being fifty feet in height. Floor one sub level A would serve as the storage for food and drink. Floor one sub level B would serve as the treasury. Floor one sub level C would serve as the kitchens, mess hall, and rooms for the staff of floor one.

Floor two would also be divided into three sub levels. Each one also being fifty feet in height. Floor two sub level A would be used for storage of all the electrical equipment, as well as all other power sources of the various doohickies in the entirety of the fortress. Floor two sub level B would house the excess and or surplus gizmos and gadgets, and their replacements and such. Floor two sub level C would serve as the storeroom for some of the military and non-military equipment.

Floor three would also be divided into three sub levels, each being fifty feet in height as well. Floor three sub level A would house the chemistry labs and storage rooms for the equipment, experiments, chemicals, and the results. Floor three sub level B would house the potions labs and storage rooms for the things that had to do with potions. Floor three sub level C would house the alchemy labs and the storage rooms for the things that had to do with alchemy.

Floor four would serve as the living quarters of the staff of floors two, three, and five. It would be subdivided into ten sub levels, there would be an elevator stop on the first sub level and on the sixth. Each sub level would be fifteen feet in height.

Floor five would not be divided into sub levels, sort of, the layout would be changed every now and then to suit the needs of the work that would go on in the floor. This floor would serve as the breeding center for all those wonderful creatures that Naruto had collected, the ones that he would use directly or indirectly for his army. Livestock would have different facilities altogether.

Each of the top seven floors would be fifteen feet in height, each one requiring different levels of clearance to enter.

Floor six would have all the rooms that guests would have access to, like the receiving area, a hall or two that could serve as a party hall, a small game room, a dining hall, and the like.

Floor seven would house the living quarters of the staff that would be handling the top seven floors.

Floor eight would serve as the headquarters of the non-military related stuff, these being the offices in charge of economics, agriculture, maintenance, the HR department, and the like, these offices would be the main offices in charge of the running of the day to day things in the fortress, for now.

Floor nine would serve as the headquarters for all of the military related stuff, from the tactics and strategy department to the torture and interrogation division.

Floors eight and nine would be like the village councils, in the sense that floor eight would handle all the civilian related matter, while floor nine would handle the military matters both offensive and defensive.

Floor ten would simply house all the information, it would be the central library of the fortress. All the books, scrolls, papers, knowledge that Naruto had acquired would be housed on this floor. His unwritten knowledge would be put to parchment or paper, then would be turned into books.

If Naruto had a house, floor eleven would serve as everything in a regular house, except for Naruto's living quarters which would be on the top floor.

That's basically the outline for the core structure of the fortress. Naruto intended to make use of the mountain as part of his fortress. Normally, a fortress is situated on a mountain or hill or wherever for a strategic purpose. Naruto did not plan on having the mountain be just a defensive wall for his keep, he intended to drill tunnels and caverns into and in the mountain. The inside of the mountain would later resemble an anthilll.

These tunnels and caverns would serve as living quarters, storage rooms, armories, arsenals, labs, prisons, dungeons, everything. Connecting all the levels of the mountain would be a number of stairs, poles, gates, doors, you name it, most likely it would be in there, including several elevators.

On the slope of the mountain there would be several towers, and some smaller buildings. These would serve many different purposes. There would be four housing facilities for the rocs, four caves and facilities for the dragons, another four facilities to be used as housing for the basilisks. There would be eight caves that would open up in eight different levels and sides of the mountain, these caves would serve as the bat caves. The onigumo would have ten caves to themselves, the scorpions being their neighbours with their own set of ten caves. The only entrace and exit to the onigumo and scorpion caves would be the cave mouths on the side of the mountain. The inside of the caves would be half filled with sand.

The different structures and whatnot found on the slope would be connected by a series of bridges made out of different metals and crystals, asll well as gates. The mountain as well as the lower six floors would be riddled with contraptions that would allow easy and swift sending and receiving of messages, files, and whatnot.

The slope of the mountain would not be just those buildings, structures, and facilities, it would have the look and feel of a naturally formed mountain, complete with trees, crags, rocks, boulders, other plants, and other animals. Some of the animals and plant species of Kyonshi's world would be found there as well.

Surrounding the base of the mountain would not be a dense jungle like Kyonshi's, the foot of the mountain would be surrounded by a two hundred fifty foot wide moat, with varying depths ranging from just an inch to several hundred feet.

Opposite the foot of the mountain would be a two hundred fifty foot tall wall that would surround the moat and the mountain. This wall would be connected, on the inside, to structures that would serve as the facilities that would take care of or handle the things living in the moat. There would be a total of twenty five regular gates for entrance and exit purposes Parts of the moat would serve as the fisheries for the literally hundreds or more fish that Naruto had collected. Other parts would be dedicated in the care and such of the crocs, both regular ones and the supercrocs. The moat would seem just as natural as the mountain, there would be all sorts of marine life in it, ranging from fresh water to salt water. There would also be small islands in the moat, as well as some structures that would serve as housing and other stuff.

The water's edge on the mountain's side would start directly at the base, but on the wall's side the wall and some of the land structures would be fifty feet away from the water's edge.

Beyond the wall would be a sprawling city filled with buildings, parks, houses, compounds and whatnot. Naruto's idea of a fortress was closer to a castle town than to just a fortress. But instead of a town it would be a city. This city would be able to house a population of roughly five million individuals, that would be men, women, and children, and still have space for a few thousand or a million or two more. The area covered by the city would be as big as osaka and singapore combined, which would be nine hundred thirty two and thirty one square kilometers.

A wall would surround the city, this too would have some twenty five main gates with a few smaller ones here and there, it would be two hundred fifty feet high. It would have towers or turrets every hundred feet. The wall would be thirty five feet wide. It would also have different levels in it. These levels would serve as the barracks, armory, arsenal, storehouses, mess halls, and other military facilities. The wall would also serve as the stables for the horses, as well as house facilities that would be in charge of the care of the ankylosaurus, smilodons aka sabertooth tigers aka tigers and a few other big cats, direwolves and wolves. The wall would be so wide since on top of it, aside from human patrols, there would be catapults, trebuchets, and ballistas.

There would be an open space that would be used as a staging area for offensive and defensive battles as well as to be used for training excercises. This space would surround the wall that surrounded the city, it would be a hundred and fifty feet wide. Where the space ended would be another wall.

This wall would be shorter than its counter part, shorter by fifty feet. But it would be just as wide, but it would only have two three levels, the ground level, mid level, and the top of the wall. There would also be towers and turrets along the wall, but they would be constructed in places that would not hinder the towers, turrets, and seige weapons behind them. This wall would also have catapults, trebuchets, and ballistas on it. Beyond this wall would be quicksand, the only space that would not be covered by this gunk would be the roads that people and whatnot would pass on. Aside from the quicksand there would also be a number of antlion pits spread out. The mid level of the wall would have rope bridges that would connect the wall before this defense and the wall after this defense.

This next wall would just as tall as the previous wall, just as wide, and with one more additional level. But it wouldn't have any seige weapons on it. It would still have turrets and towers. The only long range things on it would be the archers, long range jutsu users, and magic users. Between this wall and the outermost wall would be a space that would be twenty feet wide with the floor being covered in sharp pointly objects. Of course there would still be roads and stuff.

The outermost wall would be one hundred seventy five feet in height, and would be ten feet wide allowing only personnel to man it. There would be towers and turrets every three hundred fifty feet. This wall would have a total of thirty two big gates. These gates would serve as entrances and exits to the fortress city.

Within the city there would be parts reserved agriculture and for the care, breeding, and slaughter of livestock. The fortress would be self sustaining. Around it Naruto, with the help of Touken, would plant and grow a forest that would rival Hi no Kuni's great forests.

But before all that he had to do his thing.

"**TAJUU KAGE BUSHIN NO JUTSU!!!**" he shouted and created five million extreme clones, these ones were just below the ones that stayed after dying for a few minutes, they were living entities, sort of...one thing that set them apart from their creator was that they were still just Kage Bushin, modified, but still clones, another thing is that even if they could get it up that didn't mean that anything would come up.

Naruto then assigned his older clones to gather the clones that they needed for their assignments.

The first task, that Naruto had to do was terraforming. The mountain and the moat would be the first things he conjured, transformed, etcetera'd up, the surrounding forest would be made after his three companions would return from their surveying mission.

Once the task of terraforming was completed, Naruto had to take a day long break. It took him twenty four straight hours of determination, will power, and imagination to do it, but he did it, and he was exhausted because of it.

Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo had yet to return, but they did send updates every hundred square miles or so.

Seeing as the basics of the layout of the fortress city were in place, the clones began setting up the foundations of the structures. The construction had begun. Naruto really didn't need to do anything anymore, but being someone who believed in hard work, he let his clones do everything.

Instead of helping his clones, Naruto opted to do his own surveying of the land. So he prepared some storage scrolls, some with supplies, others that were empty. He wanted to know the lay of the land, as well as the conditions of life outside the now bloodless land.

Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo had decided to split up early on in their mission. Touken would head north, Hyakume would head east. Dorotabo would head west. They each would communicate with one another and send reports back to Naruto via summon.

Once they reached the what they each perceived as the edge, they contacted Naruto, who then did all the calculations, since he had opted to travel southwards. They had more or less mapped the waste land in the span of ten weeks, also the fortress city was completed just as Naruto announced that the land that he now claimed as his had an area of roughly thirty four thousand five hundred seven square kilometers, think Taiwan.

* * *

(A/N: I know it not like me, but as for land area, lets just say that everything is bigger than usual. Sorry for the interruption.)

* * *

Also as the four found out, the land was situated at the very center of nine nations, that were at war with one another. The land that Naruto claimed used to be the battleground, but due to the land being so far gone, the armies did battle elsewhere.

Naruto sent back messages to the other three via the summons, that they would visit these nine nations and see how everything with them is. He wanted to know the goings ons of the time that he was in.

Just by arriving he already had an inkling of what his task was to be. For an application lesson, his task was not a simple one. To confirm his hunch, Naruto and the three would be travelling the nine lands.

Touken would visit the northern lands, Hyakume the eastern lands, Dorotabo the western lands, and Naruto would traverse the southern lands. Three for each of Naruto's three companions, while he would be taking on the challenge of visiting the remaining four.

As soon as the three received their orders they started immediately, Naruto on the otherhand went back to his fortress city. There was still something that he needed to do.

Naruto more or less only had his three friends as real companions. With a city the size of the one that he had constructed, Naruto felt that it needed something. It was lacking something that was very important to a city, people. So he gathered up as much raw power as he could muster. All the while chanting.

"_recolligo terra vultus anhelo vita..recolligo terra vultus anhelo vita..recolligo terra vultus anhelo vita.._" he chanted over and over as he gathered up his power.

He didn't know how many he would be able to create. What he was going to create was something that he learned from Kyonshi, how to literally create life from non-life. He would gather earth, earth being one of the life givers, then he would shape it or sculpt it like clay, then with the air would breathe life into his creations. This was Naruto at his best and worst, he was literally playing god. These thing would be the next stage of evolution of golems.

Once he was done, a great earthquake shook the ground, a storm formed over head thunder rolling loudly. The winds blew strong and fierce, followed by a dense fog. All of this happened within the span of a few short minutes.

Once the fog dispersed there were, two thousand individuals, these were no where near Kage Bushin. These were actual people. All of them adults. Naruto had recycled some lost souls that he detected on the battlefield and infused a part of himself with them to give them a firm hold onto the land of the living. In a sense it was necromancy, and a bit of alchemy, and some other things.

They were clones of himself and of others. It was like Noah's Ark in a way, since Naruto had somehow breathed life and granted an evolving soul to these technically advanced golems, he made two equal sets of the genders. It was a ratio of one to one. From this one thousand he hoped that they would breed more people. It felt weird and a bit sick, and really weird, but it had to be done. Kyonshi did say apply everything he had learned, and this was just one of those things.

After that he took a month long break, he needed to acquaint himself with his citizens and or creations. He also had to give them names, clan names, and the like. His clones were a big help with this.

Aside from these new breed of people, Naruto also created a thousand of each version of his modified clones to fill up the rest of the population. He had them all change their appearance and create identities for themselves.

It was hard playing god, but for one month that is precisely what Naruto did. He kinda knew how Kyonshi must have felt in the beginning.

To understand death, one must understand life, to understand destruction one must understand creation. And boy did Naruto understand.

After the month was over and he began to leave for his new journey, he knew that he should not regret doing what he did, it had to be done, also he really was lonely. Having only clones as constant companios as well as some animals was a really lonely existence.

His creations would be the foundations of his nation to be. At the time Naruto only thought that he now had people to go home to, that was enough for him, in the future, well the future was the future.

* * *

Three weeks after leaving his fortress city, Naruto found himself in Naiya no Kuni, he was in one of the few cities that remained from decades upon decades of war. Greed was a powerful thing, after the gold and diamond mines of the country had dried up, the daimyou looked to the other countries and wanted their wealth to be his, so he went to war with them, the other countries were of the same mind as he. So it was a nine sided war.

Naruto had to change his outfit in order to blend in, he looked like just some other mercenary. The city had a number of them loitering around the place.

The city didn't really look like it had been in good shape for a long time. Naruto figured that it being a war torn country, nothing would look good. But there was one building in the whole city that actually looked in good condition, and this building was the seat of power of the daimyou of Naiya no Kuni. Apparently Naruto had stumbled upon the capital city itself.

Being a traveller Naruto went to one of the local pubs and asked around for some information as discreetly as he possibly could, he only brought out some copper coins when he absolutely had too.

He learned that for decades many of the citizens of the nine countries had been displaced, many had been forced to leave their homes, many had lost their lives by just being at the wrong place and the wrong time. Their was poverty anywhere, and the only way to get a decent life was by joining the army. Sure your life expectancy was short, but at least you had three square meals a day, a roof over your head, and clothes on your back, you were also paid, twenty five copper coins a day, that was a lot of money, compared to what other jobs paid people.

Making his way through the city Naruto went to the barracks of the city. He wanted to know what kind of firepower the military was worth.

Getting in had been easy enough, so disguising himself as one of the regular soldiers he moved around and took note of all the things he saw. Doing nothing but walking around had called the attention of one of the officers, which led to Naruto being assigned guard duty of the prisons.

The prison was a well built building made solely of stone. The doors to each of the cells were made out of solid iron. Each cell was made to fit only five people each, but the soldiers had forced more than ten to inhabit each cell.

After snooping around a bit, as well as being treated as a greenhorn, Naruto learned that the prisoners weren't soldiers from the enemy, but civilians from one of the other eight countries, as well as some citizens of their own country.

The prison was where the daimyou kept all the people that he would sell on the black market as slaves, he needed funds to fund his war, and slaves were a commodity. He sold them in bulk, that was why the prisoners were packed in the cells worse than a can of sardines.

The people in the cells were people taken from their homes, mostly women and children, the men were usually soldiers, or sent to work somewhere else.

After his shift was over Naruto decided to change his disguise again, he needed to infiltrate the castle. So he disguised himself as a doctor. There was talk of the daimyou looking for skilled doctors, for what purpose Naruto didn't know. But he wanted to find out.

Upon entering the castle Naruto was brought to a room with a number of other doctors already in it. Apprently it was on the spot hiring, some of the doctors didn't look anywhere remotely qualified. Naruto guessed that as long as you were willing to cut people up or something you qualified as a doctor.

Once the last applicant was brought into the room, everyone present was told to take a seat. Then they were given their instructions.

A few people possessing unusual abilities had been found, and the daimyou wanted to have these people examined, he wanted to know how these people ticked, what made them work, and what made them so special.

They were then each led to a different room, one doctor per room. In each room there were around twenty subjects, all of which were tied up or chained up, basically they were all restrained. Naruto, like all the rest was given some notes on the observed abilities of the individuals. Then they locked him in the room to do what he was told to do.

Among the observed abilities there was one man that was supposedly blind, yet could see perfectly. There was another that was supposedly deaf, yet could hear perfectly. There was another who could tell what was what just by the smell, he was both deaf and blind. There was even a person that had his hand placed in a container, it was separated from his body, but it still moved. There was one little girl who was encased in some kind of metal binding or wrap, the notes said that it was to keep her from stretching.

After looking over the notes for a while, as well as visually observing the other occupants in the room, Naruto concluded that most likely these people held within them the first Kekkai Genkai. A blind man who can see could possibly be an ancestor of the Hyuuga, the girl who could stretch herself could probably be the ancestor of that guy in the Chuunin Exam. Naruto was actually starting to wonder if there was an ice user in the group.

He didn't want to do what the daimyou wanted to be done, so he just wrote down what he observed, as well as what he could pick up using his powers, he had so many of those that it would be cheating to use them all.

After about six hours of being stuck in the room, the door was unlocked and he was told to submit his findings for the day and return the next day. He was also given his pay for the day, which wasn't much.

Once outside he returned to looking like a mercenary, then he walked to the inn he was staying at for the duration of his visit.

He planned on trying to get the people that he saw suffering a way out, not death mind you, but a way to somehow escape. Their treatment was inhumane, he may have grown up with something similar, but this was more extreme. He was an outer circle member of a bigger thing, and he only saw the basics. He could guess from that the other things that happened. It was possible that the daimyou, with the lack of food, might have opted to go with the soylent green approach. Due to the decades upon decades long wars there wasn't enough food for all the people. Naruto really didn't want to find out if the soylent green approach was used.

It was fifteen minutes after midnight that Naruto entered shinobi mode. He had himself literally blend in with the shadows. He hopped from shadow to shadow until he reached medical room that he was in during the day. The subjects were still inside, still restrained, most of whom were sleeping, some of whom looked like they were dying, a few of whom were already dead. The daimyou must have had a number of these special people around for him not to have to worry about the health of one special individual.

In the middle of the room, Naruto slowly detached himself from the shadows between two dead bodies. Whispy tendrils of darkness escaped from his form as he rose out of the shadows like eerily and creepily as if prolonging the inevitable fate of the occupants of the room.

Once he was fully out of the shadows, the people saw what he looked like in the light. He was wearing an all black outfit, save for a bone white mask with the kanji for one on the forehead. The people were either too weak, too freaked out, or both to move or react to his appearance.

Naruto then pointed at each individual, one by one sending a ball of darkness at them. Once it hit a person, the person looked like he or she had been disintegrated. Once the last one was vanished into the darkness, Naruto travelled via the shadows to another room, repeated his performance, then moved on to another room, then another, then another, until all the specimens had been collected.

In the shadow plane, it looked like there were families of people with similar traits and abilities. He then brought them to the outskirts of the city, where he had set up some kage bushins in preparation for his heist. The location was some ways away from any patrols.

All of his clones were dressed in a similar manner as him, except their masks were black as pitch. There five hundred of them all in all. Naruto had set up a temporary Gate in the glade that the clones were in, and had brought out five fifty foot long dragons, each one had a mountable wagon like thing on their backs, which were usually used for carrying things, but in this case they would be carrying people, civilians. These five were jet black in color, even their bellies were jet black, the only thing on them that had a different color were their eyes and their insides. They had been made to await their cargo in a V-shaped formation.

That was the sight that met the people once they were brought out of the shadow plane.

As soon as the people were out, the clones sprang into action, they moved like blurs to the untrained eyes. They scooped up people one person at a time, and deposited them in the wagon mounts that the dragons had strapped to their backs.

Once all the people were secure, Naruto silently ordered his clones to do their thing. Which was to transport the people to homebase. The clones that couldn't ride on a real dragon opted to create their own dragons, using wind as the main element.

Once that batch of escapees were gone with the wind, Naruto melded back into the shadows, his next stop being the prison cells. But before he was one with the shadow he created another set of five hundred clones and with the Gate still in existence had ten more dragons brought out.

The cells being pitch black on the inside was ideal for Naruto to get he people in them out. He had some clones read the files on the prisoners, and knew which ones to break out and which ones to let rot.

The first cell that he reached, instead of appearing like he did in the medical labs, he just sucked people into the shadows, more than they already were. They only realized that they were no longer in the cells when there was absolutely no light, not even an inkling of it, also they didn't feel as cramp as they were in the cells. After the first cell, Naruto moved onto the next and the next and the next until he had no more people to gather up.

The sight that greeted this new batch of people was even more intimidating than the previous group, since there were more dragons.

Once out in the open, the clones burst into action and did their thing. After all the people were loaded into the transports, the clones created their own set of dragons and the whole flight took to the skies, heading for homebase.

Naruto's job for the night was over, so he transported himself to his room at the inn, and promptly went to sleep. Little did he know that his absence had been noticed.

The next day at around the time of dawn, Naruto left the inn, after reaching a safe distance, he changed his appearance to his soldier look, then walked to the barracks where he would be having breakfast and would be assigned to who knows what.

Naruto arrived to a very chaotic sight, the soldiers and prison guards were running here and there. Apparently his nightime adventure had been noticed. He hoped that he medical labs hadn't been found to be empty yet.

As soon as the officer that assigned him to prison duty saw him, he had Naruto join a platoon of soldiers that would be heading for one of the few remaining mines left in the country. There they would guard the mine an watch over the laborers, they were to make sure that none of the laborers escaped.

Oh the joys of Kage Bushin.

Once the platoon reached the mine, they were joined by some other platoons. They travelled in separate routes in order for no one to know the way to where they were going. Seeing many platoons heading out would fool the enemy into thinking that the country's narutal resources were still plentiful.

Narito being one of the greenhorns was given the task of guarding the cages in which the laborers were kept in at night. He noticed that the laborers were mostly young boys, young men, some older men, but very few seniors. So he asked one of the regulars where the old ones were, and the answer he was given was that they were at the factory. Factory of what, where, why were they there Naruto wanted to know, but to ask too many questions may get him in trouble, so he just went back to his post and waited for their shift to end.

It was nearing his time to appear at the castle for his stint as a doctor. So during a short break that he was given, he shadow walked to the castle gates and altered his look to look like a doctor, once he entered the guy in charge of the program informed him that he was no longer needed. They didn't want any of the docs to know that there was a major jail break. So Naruto went back to the mine, and resumed his vigil over the cages.

Come nightfall his shift finally ended, and the platoons left for home once their replacements had arrived.

As the other soldiers made their way to their homes or wherever they lived, Naruto went on his way to the inn. He didn't immediately join the shadows, he once again waited for midnight before he acted.

A few minutes past midnight, Naruto went to the place where he had first erected the temporary Gate. He crewted another one for the night's deed. He brought out ten rocs and ten dragons. Each roc had a clone riding it, sitting on a specially designed saddle. Each dragon had four riders, one to give directions or orders the other three as support. Naruto then gave them all the information they needed to finish the task. It would be a hit and run thing, well more like a grab and fly away thing.

Once the flock and flight had left to complete their objective for the night, Naruto made his way to the industrial district in search of the factory where the senior prisoners or slaves were kept or made to work. What he found was definitely not to his liking. His fears were fact, soylent green was one of the food solutions of the country. Naruto suspected that the other eight countries had similar plants or facotries that mass produced the stuff from the bodies of the dead and the damned.

There were very few people to save, but save them he did, he acted as fast as he could, he became the wind, his movements swift and sure, he pulled into the shadows all the living prisoners that he could get his hands on. In record time the only bodies that remained were those of the dead.

Naruto then made his way to the clearing, he created another temporary Gate and had one dragon and six rocs come out. The dragon would serve as the transport, while the rocs its escort, riding each of the beasts was one clone. The clones then dropped down from their saddles and gently brought each of the old men, and women to the transport wagon on the back of the dragon. Once all were in it, they were off, most of the people were in desperate need of medical attention, which Naruto's medical staff at homebase would provide.

Having accomplished the night's tasks, Naruto went back to his room for some much needed rest.

The next day Naruto went about his duties as an undercover agent in the army of the daimyou of Naiya no Kuni, he didn't really pick up any clues as to the whereabouts of anymore prisoners, slaves, and the like. But he did get some info on the date of the next attack on one of their neighbouring countries. Naruto would make sure that he was part of the regimen that was deployed into the battle. That way he could travel to the other country without anyone being the wiser.

Once he got back to the inn after a hard day's work he went directly to his room, where he was greeted by the sight of a young man wearing the garb of a stable boy.

"So...where ya off to tonight?" the young man asked.

"To bed," Naruto answered, "What are you doing in my room?"

"I saw you last night and the other night," the young man said, "A few minutes past midnight you weren't in your room, then a few hours later you appeared in it."

"Really? So now that you have caught and seemingly cornered me, what are you planning on doing?"

"I was actually gonna ask if you needed any help, I mean its quite obvious that you're the brains behind the jailbreak operation."

"Why should I let you in?"

"The country sucks, our lord sucks, I wanna be of use to someone, you know being a stable boy, as fullfilling as it is, doesn't really let me do much."

"And so..?"

"C'mon, gimme a chance, I know you've been doing your thing cause you wanted to help those people."

"Hmm, since I was clumsy, and you did more or less catch me in the act. I'll let you in on my operation."

"Alright. So when do I start? What do I do?"

"First you tell me your name."

"Right, sorry, forgot about introductions," he said, "The name's Yahiko, Shokon Yahiko."

"Nice to meet you," Naruto said, "You can call me Rosuto."

"Nice to meet you too," the two men shook hands, "So whatcha got planned for tonight?"

"Tonight? Nothing, but since you're a part of my rescue operation now, you'll be doing the rescuing and stuff, I'll lend you some of my men."

"Me? Why aren't you leading in this?"

"Cause once the army gets deployed, I'm going with them. I need to get into another country. I have a distinct feeling that all nine warring countries have got a lot of people problems."

"So, you're leaving me in charge of your operations here in Naiya, so you can start another branch in one of the other countries?"

"Yep."

"So, when do I meet your men?"

"Now."

As soon as Naruto said that, the two of them were in the glade that Naruto had been using to summon up his clones and stuff.

"H-h-how? W-w-wha?"

"Magic, lets leave it at that."

"O-o-ok."

Then Naruto created another temprary Gate, this time one hundred of his disguised ultimate clones stepped out of the Gate. All of them had storage scrolls with them, which held various tools and supplies. They were all in Shinobi mode, they all had on a crimson mask with the kanji for one in black on the upper half of their masks. Beneath their masks they wore a portable radio, the range being one mile. It was the ear piece type of walkie talkie.

"These hundred are under your command," Naruto then handed Yahiko his own set of the communication divice, "This is how you will get in touch with them."

Then he proceeded to demonstrate how the thing was used. He explained how the operation was to be done, but more or less everything else was up to him. Naruto's men would be the ones to take care of how the future refugees would get to homebase.

Two weeks after first arriving in the capital of Naiya no Kuni, Naruto found himself dressed in full military gear, his other stuff was safely tucked away in the shadow plane. He was marching along with the rest of his assigned platoon, they were off to battle, and for him his 'death'.

The battle was quick, neither side coming out on top, both sides losing a number of men, for the Naiya side, Naruto was one of the loses.

* * *

During the battle he used a Chisio Bushin to fake his death, while at the same time transforming himself to look like a field medic of Nasu no Kuni. He successfully integrated himself into the army of Nasu, and went back to the Nasu capital with them. He was once again treated as a rookie, but this time of the medic corps.

The capital of Nasu was not that different from the capital of Naiya, the place hadn't seen better days for decades upon decades. The daimyou's residence was just as well kept as Naiya's. The people were just as gloomy. Everything was the same. Except, Nasu still had a food supply, a dwindling one, but there was still enough for the populace. No soylent green in this country, thank kami.

Naruto was made to stay with the family of one of his fellow field medics, by the name of Giman Ryuu. He and Naruto both found similarities with one another. Both did not approve of the way POWs were treated, as well as the abductions and unjust arrests of some of the people. Ryuu's family was lucky that he was part of the army, else there would have been a big chance that someone in his family would have been taken by the army either to work in one of the labor camps or to be sold on the black market as a slave.

This country like the previous one lacked gold, that being the reason why so many women and children were disappearing almost never getting the chance of seeing their families again. The only ones that were spared were the ones that opted to join the army without pay.

Being a member of the medic corps made gathering information hard for Naruto, he had to resort to using disguised kage bushins to get information on the whereabouts of the various holding facilities, prisons, and the like.

Getting the coordinates or general locations was the easy part. Getting he people out was another thing altogether. Apparently only the senior or veteran members of the army were assigned to guarding such facilities, therefore it really would take a lot of planning for the rescue missions to be successful.

After the first week of staying with Ryuu and his family, Ryuu found out about Naruto's secret life. He figures it out by seeing Naruto talk to or chat with a number of strage or odd individuals who normally wouldn't stand out.

After blackmailing Naruto into confessing, Ryuu too, like Yahiko, wanted in. With two men working on a plan for the rescue operations, the work load got easier.

That is until the army had to go to the battlefield again. Which meant that Naruto and Ryuu had find some way that they would be paired up. Luckily they were, unluckily they were literally sent out into the field of battle, the last battle left the army short on man power and so they had to resort to using some of the non-combatants as combatants. It was a good thing that Naruto had experience in the fighting field, he was able to defend his friend and himself.

After he battle was over, and still no victor had come out, Naruto decided that it would be the perfect time to implement the plans that he and Ryuu had come up with.

Nasu no Kuni's capital had ten places all in all that kept the oppressed people that Naruto and Ryuu wanted to liberate. There were POWs, people that were just taken from the streets, people that were too poor to pay off debts, there were even a few people that had the original Kekkai Genkais.

Ten locations, each one housing roughly two hundred to five hundred people all in all. There were probably more spread out around the country, but Naruto would only be able to do his thing in the city that he was in.

The countries, though big as they were, were not proportionate to the number of people that were living in them. Each of the countries only had populations ranging from one to five million people. But Naruto estimated that after a thousand years or more the population would increase, that is if the land got better.

Nasu's capital was a lot bigger than Naiya's. Over in the industrial zone there were three factories where slaves, mostly men and young boys were made to make armor and swords for the army. They were kept in three warehouse that were converted into a prison of sorts. They were separated by age group.

Also in the industrial zone there were two other factories where women and younger girls were made to mass produce the clothes that the soldiers wore beneath their armor. They were also kept in warehouses, ones that were no where near the men's.

Two platoons were stationed to guard each of the places where the slaves were kept. These soldiers were ones that rarely saw the battlefield. But they did see battle, every now and then one of the slaves would try to escape, the punishment was death. A slow and painful one performed by one of the soldiers, they looked at it as some sort of sport.

In the military district there was one holding facility for POWs. The ones held here were basically just soldiers of the other countries that had been captured during battles. Instead of being killed, the daimyou got a kick out of seeing his enemies suffering. These men, and a few women, were not killed outright, but they died due to blood loss, starvation, sickness, 'accidents', and a bunch of other things.

Nasu's POW prison held up to around five hundred prisoners. It was a POW only prison. There was another prison right next to the building, it was where criminals and the like were kept. But most actual criminals were given pardons if they opted to join the army and fight on the frontlines. But most of the other prisoners were just people taken off the streets, or people from villages, cities, and towns from other nations which the army pillaged and plundered. Basically for all the countries regular citizens were treated as livestock. Sure people are a resource in themselves, but the nine countries saw people as more than that, people were goods, objects, things that held monetary value.

This other prison or holding facility held some four hundred individuals. Just four hundred because most of the ones taken to it soon get sold, die, traded off, or killed immediately.

A bunch of slaves, were cooped up in the dungeons of the castle, being given only what they need to survive and go about their daily chores. Some of them, women specifically, were used for entertainment and most likely were treated somewhat better.

A group of suffering people were in the medical district, these people were given false hopes and promises for cures and the like for their problems.

The last group of sufferers were those that were to be transported to parts unknown to Naruto. That was part of the reason why he decided that tonight was the night, when Nasu would experience a breakout of such magnitude.

As Naruto left Ryuu's place to find a place to prepare, Ryuu went around the city gathering people of like mind to himself and Naruto who would help with the plan. It was a coup d'etat on a very small scale, most of the people that Ryuu had recruited were medical practitioners like himself. Ryuu and his people would meet up with Naruto and his 'people' wherever Naruto would set up as the temporary base of operations. Ryuu had gathered some twenty other people. Hopefully they were enough, since Ryuu knew that Naruto had a number of his people already in the city. Ryuu didn't really know why he bothered to go along with Naruto, he didn't really know why he decided to help Naruto do the right thing. Even though there were times where the thought of his familly getting caught up in something really bad, Naruto had something in him that made Ryuu think that everything would be ok in the end.

Later, at around ten in the evening, Ryuu found a note left by Naruto with directions on where to go. So Ryuu and his accomplices followed the directions which led them to one of many abandoned buildings in the city. Once in the designated floor, in the designated room as written in the note, Ryuu and company found themselves in the presence of one of Naruto's clones, this one was wearing Naruto's field medic uniform. But Ryuu didn't know that it was a clone. Also the clone was wearing a hat to hide his hair, and a face mask to hide most of his face.

"Good, you're here. And as I suspected you brought friends," Dr. Naruto said.

"Yeah, about that, sorry I didn't check with you first," Ryuu said.

"It's alright no need to apologize. The more the merrier, right?" Naruto said, "Lets get down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not our base of operations. I had you come here so that if anyone followed you or were suspicious of you, they would be led here instead of to our base."

"That's very cautious of you," one of the other doctors said.

"Safety first," Naruto stated, "Now, Ryuu, don't panic alright."

"Huh? Why would I panic?" Ryuu asked, the others wondered that as well.

"This is why.." Naruto said as he used the wind to whisk Ryuu away to their base of operations. At the sight of this the others started to panic, thinking that perhaps it was a trap by one of the people of the Daimyou. But before they could run away they too, were whisked away via the winds.

Dr. Naruto stayed behind. The abandoned building may not be the actual base of operations, but it would be one of the pit stops or checkpoints that Naruto had set up all over the city via his clones. The refugees or escapees would have to pass through these places in order for them to reach the base, from which they would be sent to Naruto's fortress.

Dr. Naruto created a few clones of his own, regular kage bushin that would serve as his aides as well as support and lookouts. The clones set up a perimeter around the place, as well as installed a number of traps and early warning systems around and in the place. They turned the place into a mini fortress, that looked nothing like a fortress. The clones were prepared for anything.

Dr. Naruto, before heading for his present location, acquried some things that would make defending the place easier. He had come prepared with weapons, armor, and other supplies that would allow his own clones to last longer than they normally would.

There were nineteen other checkpoints that were occupied and run by Dr. Naruto clones, with their own small band of kage bushin.

The medical practitioners, upon arriving at Nartuo's base of operations in Nasu, were surprised to find themselves at the center of an actual base. It was a small military camp being run by Naruto's Medic clones. Unlike the clones that had been deployed in Naiya, these ones all wore the uniform of different medical professions. All of them wore masks and their hair was of different colors, on their sleeves was the kanji for the number two.

The camp was buzzing with activity, most of which was concentrated around Naruto and his temprary Gate. Supplies were being brought in in bulk. Some rocs and dragons were also making their way out of the Gate and into the camp.

Instead of screaming, shouting, or panicking, Ryuu and his volunteers were stunned into silence. They had never dreamed of actually seeing so many people of their field in one place, all of whom were working for Naruto, or Rosuto since that was what he told them to call him.

There were tents everywhere. They were actually on one of the mountains a few miles away from the city, it was very rocky terrain, and most folks avoided climbing up, due to the great chance that they would slip and fall to their deaths.

Most of the supplies were medical supplies, but there were crates with armor, some with clothing, some with food, some with weapons as well. There were also several things that Ryuu's group had yet to encounter, these things being some of Naruto's advanced technology, advanced for Ryuu's time at least.

"Hey, uhm, Rosuto. What's all this..?" Ryuu gestured to the camp.

"My base of operations in Nasu. That's what it is." Naruto answered.

"Base of operations? In Nasu? You mean you've got camps like this one is other countries?" one of the other doctors asked.

"Yep, at present I have one in Naiya, a smaller one, but its got around a hundred or so of my people working there. I got more here though."

"Why?" another one asked.

"Cause its the right thing to do. Many need help, and well, I got the resources, so I might as well."

"But what if the authorities find out?," another one asked, "I mean, sure you got these guys helping you out, but can you stand up to the army?"

Naruto smiled as one of the dragons passed by the group. On its back were five Shinobi clones, all of whom had crossbows in their hands.

"I think I'll manage it."

"So, What do you need us for?" Ryuu asked.

"Hey, you volunteered, saying you wanted in on the operation. Not that I really was looking for more helping hands, but you insisted. Heck you tried to blackmail me into letting you in. I don't need you for anything," Naruto somehow sounding sarcastic said.

"Alright, alright, geez," Ryuu said, "What do you want us to do then? You've got more than enough medics running all over the place. What can we do? Cause originally you said that I'd be checking up on the people you got out."

"The twenty five of you will still be doing that. You guys'll be our welcome wagon. You guys'll get to do all the greeting. Since you're all from Nasu, you guys'll be more suited to reassuring the people that we're here to help them."

"Ok, we can do that." they said.

"Good," Naruto then called over one of the clones that looked like the clone that sent the group to the camp. The difference between Dr.. Naruto and this clone was that it had a patch on its coat over its heart with the kanji for surgeon on it, the color of it being gold.

"This guy'll be in charge while I go out and do the rescuing. Ryuu, you're second-in-command," Naruto instructed then left the group.

"I'm Gekai. Nice to meet you," the clone said, "I am currently one of Rosuto-sama's Surgeon Generals. You do know what that means, right?"

"..."

"I'll take your silence as a 'yes'," he said, "You guys are in charge of welcoming the rescued as well as performing the initial diagnosis. After which you will send the people to one of the other divisions. This camp will act like a hospital. Got it," he didn't wait for an answer, "Good. Should I be forced to leave for whatever reason, Giman will be in charge."

He then brought the group to the different tents that made up the different divisions of the psuedo hospital, this was so that the group would know where to send the people. The group were then given a team of nurses to help them with their duties. These nurses were a mix between Naruto and Naruko clones, of course ones that had different features to make it harder for anyone to realize that they were actual clones of Naruto. Not that he had encountered anyone that could tell that they were clones, or anyone that could perform even a simple bushin. It seemed as if the shinobi clans of this time were either very nomadic or had small hidden villages scattered throughout the continent, all of whom were avoiding the war torn lands of the nine nations at war with one another.

The group were given new uniforms to wear while they were in the camp, Ryuu's coat having a similar patch to Gekai's except this one had the kanji for number two below the kanji for surgeon. They were then ordered to get what they think they would need from the supply tent. All of them wondered where Naruto had gotten a hold of the creatures that were in the camp.

Dragons were things of myth, but here they were walking and sleeping amongst them. The giant birds were something new too. The group never ever dreamed of the possibility of them ever seeing, much less finding such big birds.

After leaving Ryuu and his group, Naruto became the wind, and travelled to the POW prison. While still being the wind, he saw all the prisoners, he knew where all of them were located. He saw all the guards, as well as some guests of the prison. There were a few prisoners that were being tortured and worse by these guests. The most notable one being the Daimyou himself.

Naruto kenw that he could take out the Daimyou, but his priority was freeing the prisoners. Which is exactly what he did. Becoming human again, Naruto created twenty Ultimate clones, he had them all transform into different people of different ages and genders, and had them all infiltrate the facility. The mass jailbreak that Naruto had planned was going to look like it was planned by one of the other countries, he didn't want the Daimyou to be aware of a tenth party in the war. Naruto was not ready for such a thing, yet.

The clones, would, from the inside of the facility make sure that when Naruto grabbed the prisoners there would be no witnesses. They would accomplish this by setting explosives on a number of walls all over the building, the clones would also lay out some things that would lead the Nasu soldiers to believe that there were spies working in the prison. The clones would also do something in order for the Daimyou to think that his enemies had sent assassins to end his life once and for all. Naruto's clones would make it look like a mass breakout, an attack, and an assassination attempt. The clones wouldn't do anything until Naruto gave them the signal.

Naruto then went to the other facility, the other prison, he sent in another twenty clones, they would do the same except, the attack would look like it was made by a bunch of bandits and mercenaries, outlaws to all. Visiting this second facility was one of the heads of the medical corps, this guy used his knowledge in healing to further enhance his torture skills. Morino Ibiki would have been impressed. But Naruto was not. That man was a taint on the profession. Naruto's clones would make sure such a taint was scrubbed out. Due to this official's death, Naruto would try and make it so that Ryuu be made to take his place as one of the heads of the medical corps.

Naruto's next destination was the industrial zone, specifically the warehouses that housed the slave laborers. Instead of wind, Naruto became water. He moved through th sewers to get below the warehouses. The layout of the inside of the warehouses were easy enough to navigate through. There was no way in or out on the ground level that wasn't well guarded. Naruto being water, could see into the buildings via the grates on the warehouse floor that the slaves used for bathroom purposes. There wasn't a single shower in the place, just grates that covered the sewer system below the place. Instead of creating Ultimate clones, Naruto created mud clones, the thing about mud clones was that they could take a lot more hits than a regular kage bushin, but unlike water clones, these ones each got more than a tenth of their creator's strength. Naruto didn't bother modifying these clones, even though he did have modified versions of it. These mud clones formed themselves inside the warehouses in the corners above the grates, with the lack of mud around, and Naruto being a bit more cautious than he normally was, had to make due with what he had at his disposal, he used the mud like crap found in the sewers.

He created as many clones as he could. These mud clones, well more like crap clones, would somehow cause the roof to come tumbliing down as well as cause the place to burn. Naruto didn't exactly modify the clones too much, he just made it so that when the clones burst into smoke or melted they would release methane instead of the standard ninja smoke which was just chakra residue being released into nature. The released gas would then ignite due to the way that Naruto was going to grab the slave laborers.

Naruto would grab the prisoners using his control over earth, he would literally suck the people into the earth plane, which was like the shadow plane except that instead of just formless darkness, there it would be really rocky, sure they wouldn't really be able to see, but should they move they would feel the rocks, the soil, the earth, the sands, and the occasional earthworm. For the people in the warehouses, Naruto was going to grab them into the fire plane. The usual vision of hell being a place filled with fire, well the fire plane was just that, although Naruto would make sure that the people went to the part that was just warm.

Naruto's next desination was the medical district, where all the clinics and the hospital could be found. This one was the easiest one of all the places, no clones needed. Once Naruto got there still using the sewers he instantly shifted into wind, and whisked off al the people to the checkpoints. From there they would be counted, it was like an impromtu census, then they would be sent to the camps via portable teleportation gates.

After doing that Naruto went to his last stop, which was the Daimyou's castle itself, there were a lot of slaves that worked as servants, and play things, and Naruto was going to get them out of there, whether they liked it or not. He was going to deprive the Daimyou and his court of some of the pleasures in life.

Arriving there on foot, while sticking to the shadows but not travelling in them, Naruto created one hundred ultimate clones, that would somehow find their way into the castle. Naruto was going into the castle himself, he wanted to use the physical way of doing this part since he didn't want to accidentally do something stupid too soon into the game. Stupid and reckless things would be done later, when he got a hold of all the information from Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo.

He needed his hundred clones for this job, since he needed to check out all of the rooms, and when he said all, he meant all. Every single one of the rooms would be checked. His clones were allowed to createe clones of their own to hasten the search and rescue operation, but that was the only jutsu they were allowed to use. There were more hostiles in this place than any of the other places that Naruto was targetting. Here his shinobi skills would be put to the test. He would be going up against multiple individuals, and taking them out of the game, of course he would also be leaving a number of them alive, but there would be loses. This way the daimyou and his generals would think that one of the other countries had really sent an attack on his capital without him knowing it. Some how Naruto thought that by doing this it would make the Daimyou realize the real value of his people.

Once the first slave had been brought out, the clones that had found the child literally carried her out of the castle and to the nearest checkpoint, Naruto gave the go signal to his other clones.

All over the city in various locations explosions occurred. In the places where the targets were being kept, all the things that Naruto wanted to happen went without a hitch. Sure the rescued targets or people were really feaked out, they weren't in any condition to do anything about it.

Back at camp as soon as the first person arrived, the clones and Ryuu's group leapt into action. They all quickly performed their duties. Gekai then informed Ryuu that he was incharge for the time being, then he left camp with the all of the dragons and the rocs, with their respective clones.

Gekai was assigned the task of rescuing the slaves that were being transported to who knows where. He rode one of the rocs, all of which were the same size.

The rocs had armor on their bodies and head, as well as saddles on their backs for individual clones to ride on them. The dragons too had armor, but instead of a saddle, they each had on some sort of mounted cart, where five clones were, four of which were carrying crossbows and regular bows, the rest of the transport cart was filled with arrows, bolts, and bombs.

The slave caravan would be passing by the mountain any minute now. The rocs and dragons were perched on crags and ledges, ready to take flight at a moments notice. Then Gekai saw it, the caravan was well guarded. It was guarded by at least two hundred fifty men, the slaves were in horse drawn wagons, these wagons looked like they were bult to sardine at most a hundred and fifty slaves each, and there were ten of them. It looked like Gekai hit the motherload. The caravan looked like it didn't originate from the capital, rather it looked like the capital was just one of the stops along its way.

Gekai motioned for one of the roc riders to take to the air and see if the escort was actually made up of soldiers or something else. Gekai had a feeling that this wasn't a Naru escorted caravan. As the roc rider returned, his suspicions were proven to be true. The caravan was actually made up of mercenaries hired by one of the kings of the slave trading industry.

When the caravan was a lot closer to the mountain he signalled for the whole flight to take to the skies. It was time to make their presence known. It was a cloudless night.

The rocs formed a constantly moving circle above the caravan. The dragons darted here and there within the circle. Gekai was planned on having his men drop bombs to confuse the mercenaries. These bombs were smoke bombs, big ones. Once the bombs were deployed, with some of the clones saying bombs away, Gekai and the other roc riders broke away from formation and had their thirty two foot long rides to fold their twenty four foot long wings to go into dives, Gekai and the roc riders were equipped with spears, these would use in their dive bomb attacks by spearing the mercenaries. The rocs would help using their claws.

The mercenary escort expected that if they were ever to be attacked there were more than enough of them to ward of the raiders. But what they didn't expect was for their attackers to come from the sky. As soon as the first bomb exploded the mercenaries, tried to find the position of their attacker. More bombs kept raining down on the caravan and exploding. The mercenaries started to panic since none of them seemed to be able to find the attackers. The smoke obscured the shadows in the incoming roc riders. Those that noticed where the bombs were coming from, found out just as they were impaled by one of the spears. Other s were taken up into the air by the rocs and were split in half. With thirty rocs dive bombing the caravan, the smoke soo dissipated, and the remaining mercenaries, saw their attackers the rocs and their riders. But that wasn't all they saw. They also witnessed the dragons swoop down and grab the wagons with all four limbs and took off with them. Some of the mercenaries also fell victim to the arrows of the clones, as well as to the breaths of fire of the dragons.

After an hour the raid was over, none of the slave wagons remained. The dragons had carried them all off, and the rocs had snatched up the horses. The only ones left on the open plain were around fifty mercenaries.

They didn't know what hit them. It was so sudden. The whole affair lasted for only an hour. They were not prepared for something like this. Their employer would have their hides if they returned empty handed, if they didn't return they would be hunted down. All fifty of them were in a quandry. They really didn't know what to do.

One of them decided to just plop down on the ground and wait for death, at least it was his choice, and not the choice of some other person. He knew the slave trade was not really that good of a thing. Its just that he like many of his companions needed the money, some of them just to survive, and those that had families for their famlies' survival. Of course there were those that did it since they approved of it, but there were those like the one who resigned himself to death who were against such things. Being a mercenary didn't instantly mean that they had no morals, it was just that these were the things that they were paid to do.

Soon all the rest followed the first man, they were all sitting on the ground. Waiting for their deaths, that would come in one form or another, some of the men were waiting for the others to fall asleep, when that happened which they would committed suicide. They had all chosen the coward's way out.

But it was not meant to be. Three hours after the raid, they saw a speck in the sky making its way for them. Most of the men thought that it was one of the attackers coming back to finish them off. A few of them thought that it was the Shinigami coming for their souls for the things that they had done in their lives, these were the men who had regretted every single job they had done.

They all watched the approaching speck, it didn't get any clearer the closer it got. That is until it suddenly dropped down infront of them, at a speed way faster than during the attack. Once the bird was comfortable on the ground, its rider dismounted.

The remaining mercenaries got a good look at one of their attackers. He looked like one of those field medics that they were very familiar with, having participated in atleast one battle as one of the soldiers in one of the armies of one of the nine warring countries. The one that had returned was Gekai.

He noticed that the mercenaries looked to be devoid of life, none of them tried to attack him in retaliation for what he and his men did three hours ago. So he decided that it was a good time as any to speak his proposal.

"I am Gekai. You fifty that remain seem to be a worthy lot of the gift of life. Therefore I shall not kill all of you," he paused, "Instead I am going to offer you a job. The payment for this job will be that you will not have to worry about the wrath of your previous employer."

Gekai's proposal was met with silence, due to disbelief or anything else he didn't know.

"Well?" he asked.

One of the men, the first one who plopped down to the ground moved in front of the others so that he could speak as their representative to Gekai.

"Let me get this straight, you kill off four-fifths of our number, take away our cargo, leave us waiting for death, then come back and offer us a job, and expect us to say yes to this proposition?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

Seeing himself as a professional in his line of work, he had previously encountered being stabbed in the back by his employer, but never something like this, so he decided to act as professional as he could in the situation.

"So, what does the job entail?"

"Oh, so you're considering it already, good, good," Gekai said, "Simple you lot help out at my camp. We're in need of some guards. That's about it for now."

"So, how are we to get there if we agree?"

"When you agree you'll find out."

Not having any other choice except possibly being left in the plain to die, all fifty accepted.

"By the way, if I'm to be working for you, you'll have to know my name," the spokesperson of the mercenaries said, "I am Genri Tamotsu."

"Glad to have you onboard.." Gekai said just before all of them were on the mountain a ways away from the hustling and bustling camp.

The collection of mercenaries were surprised to find themselves not in the middle of the barren plain anymore.

"H-how? W-where?" Genri voiced the questions of the group.

"How? I wont tell you. Where? A ways away from camp. So don't be surprised at what you see when we get there." Gekai said.

Gekai led the mercenaries to camp. Once there he didn't pay any mind to their surprised expressions, as he gave them a tour of the place, as well as introducing them to Ryuu, his second-in-command. The mercs were even introduced to Naruto who just nodded to them and went back to adjusting one of the teleportation gates, that would be sending the rescued back to his fortress. Some of the people had already been sent through, some opted to stay and help with the rescue operation, but the control panel needed tweaking since the destination was already swamped, Naruto was making the thing send the people to another part of the fortress.

The mercs were not expecting to see what they were seeing. The camp was more organized than any military camp they had ever been to. But instead of military personnel, there were medical staff running here and there. They were all busy as bees, treating to the wounded, to the sick, and to some of the supposedly dying. They saw that there were three groups of people in the camp, there were the medical staff, the black clad soldiers, and the slaves. The soldier, which were Naruto's Shinobi clones, were walking along the perimeter, some of them were on the rocks, and some were in the few trees that were there. Some of the others were caring for and grooming their mounts. The medical staff were doing as they were to do as was their profession, fixing people. The slaves, which consisted of actual slaves and the POWs who never expected to actually be rescued, were being treated by the medical staff, were waiting for their turn to walk through the gate, or they were sitting around waiting to be told what to do.

The mercs noticed that some of the ones that they had classified as slaves were getting new clothes, or more like uniforms, they were given armor, and weapons as well as first aid kits, their uniforms were of different colors, which was what told them what group they were a part of.

Gekai, ended his tour at the supply tent, where he had the mercs get their new gear. They were to wear a dark purple bodysuit underneath their armor. Their armor was more like chainmail, it was very much not like the armor that the soldiers of the countries' armies wore. Instead of helmets they were given caps, with the kanji for the number two placed in the center of the front, these caps were also dark purple. The mercs were given the choice of using their own weapons, or choosing from a wide selection and still keeping their own weapons, they dived at the chance of getting new pointy things.

After getting their gear the head clone of the guards who went by the name Jieichou, which literally meant captain of the guard, approached them.

"I'm Jieichou, I'm your new boss. We'll be watching over the paths leading to camp. So get your gear on and meet me at the, well the place where you got into camp."

The mercs quickly did as they were told and soon found themselves in the company of Jieichou and a few of the Shinobi clones. Jieichou and Gekai were both Ultimate clones.

The group them made their way to the only path that led to camp, once there the shinobi clones positioned themselves in locations that gave them a clear view of the path. The path itself was more like a long flight of stairs. It looked quite steep. Naruto created it for future use, if you were a friendly the stairs would act like an escalator, if you were foe, you had to climb the whole way up.

After being told where they would position themselves, they were informed of their shifts, then the ones that were not slotted for that time were then led back to camp. Once there they were shown to the tent that was designated as theirs. Jieichou didn't stay with them, he returned to guard duty, he was only in camp to retrieve them.

The camp was by no means a small one. It took up a large chunk of the mountain, but it was shielded from view by the surrounding mountains. The mountain that the camp was located in was one that was located at the center of a mountain range that consisted of nine mountains that were so close to one another that Naruto could jump from one to another, with the aid of chakra of course. The camp's mountain was the shortest one.

Tamotsu was one of the twenty five mercs that were off duty. He picked a pre-set up bunk bed near the tent entrance. As he lay in bed he quickly grew bored with nothing to do. Some of the other mercs brought out some playing cards, one of them managed to get a shogi set from the supply tent. Tamotsu decided that he would wander around the camp a bit, and get himself a bit more acquainted with some of the other people he would be working with.

As he walked around the camp he saw that Naruto who was Gekai's boss, he wondered what the man was doing in the camp. It looked like Gekai had everything under control, he was the cneter of attention of a number of the officers of the camp, the heads of the other divisions and group were crowded around him receiving their orders. He also took note of Ryuu, who was giving out orders to the medical department heads. But what he grew curious about was what Naruto did, aside from tinkering with that thing that Gekai refered to as a teleportation gate or gate for short.

Normally the boss wouldn't be seen wandering around camp, the boss, the leader, would be lounging around in his tent or something doing other things, not running around.

So Tamotsu decided to follow the blonde man around the camp as he did what he did. He watched as Naruto helped tend to the wounded, as Naruto conforted the ones in pain, as Naruto made the children laugh. He watched Naruto as he went to the Kitchen tent, and helped with cooking the meals. There was food round the clock. He watched Naruto as he sparred with some of the regular soldiers, and encouraged them to actually try and hit him. One of those men actually hit Naruto by accident and instead of being yelled at was treated the sight of a laughing leader, who laughed out a "Now, that's a punch!"

Tamotsu spied on Naruto as he talked to some merc looking people. While he was spying he failed to notice that Ryuu had walked up to him.

"So, spying now are we?" Ryuu startled him by asking.

"Hehe, yeah," Tamotsu admitted, "I was trying to find out what our leader does around camp."

"Oh, thats an easy thing to answer. Rosuto, does everything."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well he personally went with some of those black clad soldiers and when it was time for the rescue operation. He was one of the people that rescued the slaves that were in the castle."

"Really?" Tamotsu couldn't believe that there was actually someone that would willingly do that.

"Yeah. He's nuts, thats what he is. He's got a lot of people working for him that could do the things he does, but he choses to do them himself."

"Why does he?"

"He once told me, cause it was the right thing to do. Not the easy thing to do, but the right thing to do."

"Does that apply to everything or just to rescuing people?"

"Mostly the rescuing, the rest is most likely for that same reason but also because he just likes doing it."

"I see. So you gonna tell me what he was doing over there?"

"Sure, that merc looking fellow was one of his spies."

"Oh," Tamotsu said, "So you got family?"

"Changing topics huh, I'll indulge you, yeah I got family, a wife and two kids, both boys."

"They know what you're doing now?"

"Nope. But I'm planning on bringing them here, if possible. Rosuto said he could make it look like one of Nasu's enemies attacked or kidnapped them or something."

"That guy seems to be a little too good to be true, so what's he want in return?"

"Who knows. So how bout you, got any family?"

"Yeah, sort of, I don't really know where they are nowadays, my jobs kinda kept me away from them, one time as I got back home they weren't there no more."

"Sorry."

"S'ok, you didn't know."

"So, wanna go check out those dragons?"

"Eh? Sure."

So the pair walked off to look at the dragons. When they got there, they were treated to the sight of two dragons cowering in fear in front of Naruto who looked mad at them for some reason. So Tamotsu asked one of the people there what had happened. He was told that the two dragons got into a wrestling match and almost rolled over some of the civilians, and so Naruto had told them off for doing such a thing, the dragons were told to be more aware of their surroundings.

After glaring at the two dragons for good measure, Naruto walked off to where the rocs were.

"So..Ryuu, you know how he did that?" Tamotsu was referring to Naruto being feared by the dragons.

"I was wondering the exact same thing."

"Oh, its simple really, the dragons view him as their alpha, he beat the previous one for the position," someone said.

That someone was one of the newly freed slaves that had decided to stay. He was a former soldier that had retired early in life, and was from Komugi no Kuni where after being a soldier became a farmer in some village that was later attacked by Nasu. He wore a white bodysuit underneath his brown body armor.

"How do you know that...?" Tamotsu asked.

"It's Yuji, Kuraku Yuji. As to how I know, well, I asked Rosuto-sama."

"You just asked him?" Tamotsu asked.

"Yep, he told me straight how he did it, and asked me if I believed him."

"Well did you?" Ryuu asked.

"At the time? No. But after what I've seen, yeah I do."

"When'd you ask him?" Ryuu asked.

"Couple hours ago."

"Well, you two it was nice talking to you, but I've got to get back to work," Ryuu said before leaving the two men.

"So what are you a part of? I'm a guard."

"Me? Well I'm supposed to be an apprentice to one of those dragon riders."

"Cool. So, maybe one day I'll see you riding one of those big lizards, huh."

"Yeah. I'm supposed to be wearing an eye patch right now, since its training for using those bows and crossbows."

"So why aren't ya?"

"The dragon I was assigned to ate it."

"Ha Ha, seriously?"

"Yeah. Scary really, it plucked the patch off of my face and just ate it."

"Good thing it didn't hurt ya."

"Yeah."

"So you supposed to be doing anything else now?"

"Yeah actually, so I guess I'll see ya around..."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I'm Genri Tamotsu."

"Well see ya Tamotsu," Yuji said as he walked off.

Tamotsu then went back to the tent, and lay on his bed waiting for his shift to begin. All he had learned of their leader was that he was weird, could do almost anything, enjoyed being around his people, was the alpha of the dragons, did some things cause he wanted to do them, did some things cause it was the 'right' thing to do, and was crazy. Enough analyzing, more resting, his shift wasn't for a few hours.

A week after that night Nasu's capital had a shortage of slaves, but due to that night's events, securty was a lot tighter, Ryuu was promoted and replaced the head that had died in the attack, and Naruto was making plans to leave.

Nasu had lost one its major resources, people. Nasu was starting to run low on gold, so the daimyou decided that it was time to go raiding his neighbours again. The daimyou then informed all of his officials of his plans. At the end of the month Nasu would attack Tetsu no Kuni. Attacking Naiya no Kuni was out of the question since there were reports of that country having problems of their own, and that they too were preparing their army to attack Tetsu. This was the kind of news that Naruto wanted to hear. His relocation plan revolved around being one of the people that would die in battle again.

At the end of the month Naruto marched off to his 'death'. Gekai and Ryuu were left in charge, with Tamotsu and Yuji as the next in the chain of command. Jieichou had promoted Tamotsu two days after he joined up, then he went back to Naruto's fortress to continue his duties there. While Yuji was given command of the Nasu Flight of Dragons after it was found out that the dragons seemed to like him most out of the other new recruits, he was also promoted due to his being a fast learner. A day before Naruto's departure, the camp had more real people than clones, seeing as a large number of people decided to stay and help out.

* * *

One week after Naruto's 'death march'. He found himself working in the kitchen of the daimyou's castle. The daimyou was a big man who loved food. After his Chision Bushin died, he disguised himself as one of the kitchen staff that accompanied the army. When he found himself in the capital he was told that he would be living in the castle since he told the officers that his companions had died in battle, while they were making deliveries on the battlefield, on one of these deliveries they were ambushed by the enemy and Naruto was supposedly the only one who survived.

Another thing that Naruto learned about the daimyou, asides from his gluttony, was that his favorite food was basically of the soylent green variety. This man was a cannibal. He ate slaves cooked in different ways for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When a family displeased him, he had them eat one of their family members. Due to his barbaric nature the soldiers in his armies were men who loved bloodshed, and didn't mind eating a person or two. The reason for Tetsu no Kuni's being at war with the other eight nations was that the country's leading clan had a craving for human flesh and blood. The country may have gotten its name from the vast amount of iron ore found within its borders, but that had nothing to do with the war. This over abundance of iron is what caused the other countries to make war with them.

Naruto's job in the kitchens consisted of peeling potatoes, and that was about the extent of it, that and bringing the daimyou his food.

All of the slaughtered human beings were prepared in such a way that the dishes resembled regular dishes, the only thing that gave away the fact that the meat was people, was the occasional distinctive body part found in the dish.

Naruto did not enjoy the job, he was also not able to make any friends, since having friends showed weakness, and the government did not like weakness.

Through being in the castle at all times Naruto learned a lot from the people that he encountered. Weakness was literally frowned upon, and when slaves and POWs were concerned that was a really bad thing to be, weak equalled being qued up for the next meal.

The only source of sustenance that the slaves and POWs had were each other, it was a literal eat of be eaten world for them. The daimyou's castle was situated on a hilltop, that overlooked the capital city. It literally and figuratively lorded over the capital and its people.

Naruto had learned that beneath the castle was where the slaves and POWs were kept. He knew where they were, but what he couldn't figure out was how to get them out. He might have to get himself locked up for him to find a way to get them outta there.

Which was exactly what he did.

After being shoved into the pit like place, Naruto created a few Chisio Bushin, these would be the 'prisoners' that he would beat the crap out of and 'eat'. He spent a week in the place thinking up plans and the like. But by the end of the week he figured the only way that he was getting the people out was to grab them out. But in a place like this, his powers would stand out too much and he didn't want anyone getting suspicious about them. Making his only option another mass breakout, if not a breakout, then an actual invasion. He spent another week coming up with a viable plan. But in order for him to excecute his plan, he needed an accomplice. So for another week he concentrated on making friends with some of his fellow inmates, most of whom did not want to form any sort of bond with him, since in their minds they thought that they would have to eventually backstab him to live. All of them rejected his idea of friendship save for one young woman and her daughter, their names were Tokage Tsukiko and Tokage Yoshiko.

When Tsukiko was forst thrown into the pit, she was eight months pregnant, her husband had been killed by some of the soldiers for no reason other than that he was weak. The shock and trauma of being put into a place like this forced her into going through premature labor. Which some of the new people helped her with. When she was strong enough to venture away from the group that had cared for her, she realized the truth of the rules of the place. Which made her realise that the people that helped her were actually planning on eating her child when the time was right, so she went to another corner of the place to hide herself and her child eating the little lizards or rodents that she could find in the place, with the hope that one day she would find a way out of there.

It had been four years since she had first been brought in when she met Naruto, who still went by the name Rosuto, who wanted to be her friend. At first she was suspicious of him, but after two days of him defending her and her child, she started to think of him as a friend in this hell that she had been living in. Sure he killed some people but he never showed any agression or such behavior when dealing with her. He was kind and patient as well as protective of her and her child.

Naruto's week of making friends had ended, he now had the accomplice he needed. The only thing that bothered him about his plan was that he did not share it with the two girls.

Naruto's plan was simple, he would cause mass chaos in he pit. He would make it so that most of the inhabitants would end up fighting one another, including the guards. This was not only his way of distracting everyone from his leaving the place, but it would also serve as a way for him to know who were worth saving later on, and who were to be left in hell.

If he was going to cause chaos, what did he need an accomplice for, well he was going to have a few of his Chisio Bushins kill his accomplices, then he was gonna jump them, and somehow get the whole place into a 'feeding frenzy' or something like that. The people would really believe that his friends had really been killed and that he was avenging their deaths, this would make those that still considered the gift of life to be important to defend one another from attack. Hopefully the only ones that died were the heartless.

It took Naruto another week to set everything up for his big production number.

The day had finally arrived for Naruto to put on a show. He had created several Chisio Bushins that would 'ambush' Yoshiko, drag her out and kill beat the living out of her, of course the Yoshiko that they would beat the living out of would be another carefully placed Chisio Bushin.

Time for things to begin, he signaled his clones to begin the first act. Around six of the clones ambushed Tsukiko and Yoshiko while Naruto was away from them. Two of the clones held back Tsukiko as the other dragged her little girl to a place where many could see the spectacle that was about to unfold. Somewhere along the way Naruto grabbed Yoshiko into the shadows, and replaced her with a blood clone copy. When the clones were in position, they went nuts, sending blood and guts everywhere, some of this being Naruto utilizing one of his area effect illusions. As he heard Tsukiko's scream of horror he jumped his clones and started beating the living out of them, and shouting things about friends and stuff, that was the signal for the other clones to do their thing and start beating the living out of one another, some of the clones had to use genjutsus to get the people into a frenzy, after a few minutes the whole place went nuts and bananas. During those precious few mimutes Naruto had slipped off into the shadow plane and grabbed Tsukiko with him. They then popped out of the shadow of a tree a few meters away from the city limits.

Tsukiko after seeing freedom, thought that she had died seeing as her daughter was there with her along with Naruto. She was happy that she was finally free, but she was also at the same time sad that she had died, as did her friend and child. But something shocked her, Naruto was smiling a big smile, he was happy.

"Ha ha! Finally outta there! Heh heh! We're free!" he shouted.

"What are you so happy about?" Tsukiko snapped at him, "We're dead! What's so nice about that?"

"Dead? Really, I feel alive to me."

"Of course we're dead Yoshiko is right here with us," she said as she gestured towards her child.

"She looks like she's just sleeping to me, not dead."

"WHAT?! Do you have any proof that we are actually still alive?"

"Sure," he then pointed in the direction of the castle that was visible, "That proof enough, cause I know you haven't done anything to warrant hell."

"..." she stood there slack jawed at the sight of the castle.

"Believe me now?" he asked her.

She nodded her head in response.

"Good, now then lets get you and her to someplace safe, then I can go about getting the rest of the good people out of that hell hole."

After making his proclamation the three melted into the shadows and reappeared inside an abandoned iron mine.

Once they were in the safety of the mine, Naruto unsealed a storage scroll from one of his seal tatoos, one of many seals and tatoos that littered his body, but were usually not that noticeable or even visible for that matter.

Then he unsealed the contents of the scroll, which consisted of a few sleeping bags, clothes, food, and water, which he handed over to Tsukiko. Then he went deeper into the tunnel until he found a chamber large enough to house his soon to be summoned army.

While he was busy creating another temprary Gate, he created a few shinobi clones then had them go fetch Tsukiko and Yoshiko. The two girls were too tired to do anything to the clones.

Once they got to the place where Naruto was, they saw what he had made, there were two portals, one was the temporary Gate, while the other was a teleportation gate. Tsukiko didn't know what to make of it, while Yoshiko just found them cool.

The mother and daughter pair were made to rest by one of the chamber walls. Then the clones positioned themselves by the tunnels that led in and out of the chamber. Naruto was extra cautious when it came to caves, since his past dealings with them always seemed to have some sort of monster lying in wait, preparing for the right moment to attack. Luckily for him, he wasn't in one of Zombie-sensei's caves.

Naruto contacted the General clone that was on the other side of the Gate and had him send over the usual troops, minus the rocs and dragons that wouldn't be of much use in this particular country. Instead he had some ankylosaurus, or ankylo for short, squads sent over. After the last instructions were given to the clone, Naruto's army came marching out.

Tsukiko was still awake when Naruto's army came marching out of the portal, Yoshiko had already gone back to sleep. She saw shinobi clones come out, this time with the kanji for the number three on their masks, following them were ankylo drawn wagons, riding on the wagons, along with the supplies, were the medic clones whose sleeves also sported the number three. Following them were the Chef clones, then the smith clones, and so on and so forth. The last ones to leave the portal were five hundred ankylos and their riders, two riders per ankylo. After the last one was out the temporary Gate snuffed out of existence.

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To be continued..._

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some positive reviews would be nice, even ones that just have WTF in them are fine...ty

_one other thing, I apologise for some of my spelling errors, the mistakes were made by the spellchecker...I inputed the wrong spelling and haven't had the time to correct them, one of the most notable ones being "travelling" which in some cases is spelled as "travelling", sorry._


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Note #1: Be prepared for another long one.

Note #2: I'm sure you've noticed that I have different kinds of clones. Each of these clones have a certain specialty, almost all of them are modified kage bushin. There are also different levels of modification. There is the regular modification, like the shinobi clones, then there are the extreme clones or extreme something clones, which are like the ultimates but go poof eventually, then there are the ultimate clones, like the General clones like Gekai, whose bodies stay long after they have died.

Apology #1: I accidentally wrote Chapter 10 instead of Chapter 11...hehe...

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**Lost**

**Chapter 12**

_Previously on Lost:_

_Tsukiko was still awake when Naruto's army came marching out of the portal, Yoshiko had already gone back to sleep. She saw shinobi clones come out, this time with the kanji for the number three on their masks, following them were ankylo drawn wagons, riding on the wagons, along with the supplies, were the medic clones whose sleeves also sported the number three. Following them were the Chef clones, then the smith clones, and so on and so forth. The last ones to leave the portal were five hundred ankylos and their riders, two riders per ankylo. After the last one was out the temporary Gate snuffed out of existence. _

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Tsukiko got bored after watching the clones set up camp and eventually drifted off to sleep. Some of the clones went into the tunnels to search for more chambers, ones that they could use as stables for the five hundred ankylos.

Once Naruto noticed that Tsukiko had gone to dreamland he had a few of his clones move her and her daughter to one of the tents that had been set up in one of the other chambers. These tents had beds in them already set up. Naruto then had his clones turn the whole abandoned mine into one big base. Outside of the mine was a mining town that had been abandoned when no more iron ore could be found. Naruto wouldn't use the town just yet, he'd have to first fortify the mine, make sure that there would be no possibility of infiltration or of any collapses. He could afford to lose clones, but in the future there would be real people working in the mine, and he couldn't have any of them dying on him.

The mine situated beneath a small mountain. At the peak of the the mountain Naruto had some clones set up his communication office. It would be from here that all communication with other camps and bases would occur, also all information would be received and passed out from there.

Outside all of the mine entrances and exits Naruto had the his clones set up some lookout towers, and sandbag them, he had them create a number of defensive barriers that would serve as the first line of defense should this base be found by the country's daimyou's army. Ballistas and catapults were set up on the slope of the mountain as well as outside the entrances of the mine.

Beyond the actual barrier Naruto had his clones set up a mine field of sorts, not using actual mines, but using some pressure sensitive explosive tags. Those little pieces of paper would be harder to detect. Of course the clones made a map of where each and everyone of the tags were located so that no one would accidentally set them off.

Lights were installed inside the mine, the lights were not run by electricity or chakra, the lights were mostly those blue glowing crystals that Naruto's clones had found in the crystal cave. There wasn't a place in the entire mine that did not have light.

Naruto made sure that the whole of the mine was explored, he had this accomplished the fastest way possible by spamming regular kage bushin, by doing this it only took him three hours to map the whole mine.

Naruto had his clones set up teleportation gates in every room. This base or camp being the biggest of the three that he had founded so far, it needed all these modes of getting places fast.

From some of the people that he had freed in the other two countries, Naruto was given information about the uniforms of the armies of the other nations, this information would be used in Naruto's upcoming rescue operation and invasion plan. He would have his clones look like soldiers from the other nations, except Naiya and Nasu.

His ankylos would be equipped with more armor than their bodies already had, they would also be equipped with mini-ballistas on their backs. One of the riders would operate it, while the other would control the ankylo. Its clubbed tail would get some additional apikes for added harming power.

When Naruto started his invasion he would first send out his ankylos army, behind them would be the shinobi clone army, the last group of fighters that would march on the battlefield would be Nauto's Mage clones.

The mage clones were made out of chakra, but they had a pool of magic for them to use. These clones were limited to magical attacks and physical attacks only. These were the literal mages of the army. Naruto woud have their attacks limited to curses and hexes that would slow down and slightly weaken the forces of the gluttonous daimyou, they wouldn't be allowed to use some of the more destructive spells in their arsenal.

During this little attack Naruto's armies' objective would be to rescue the prisoners worth rescuing, meaning that the clones would bring the battle to the castle. They weren't a distraction, they were to actually invade. Naruto wouldn't be going with his army, he would be waiting in the mine. His face was known inside the castle as well as inside the pit, he couldn't afford to be seen. His presence wasn't to be known as of yet.

After a week's worth of preparations, Naruto's army were off. The armies were split into six groups, each would be attacking from a different direction. This would force the Tetsu army to divide itself among invading forces. Naruto's clones and ankylos were more than enough to get in. Its the getting out that would be a problem. But Naruto had something planned in case that would happen.

Under his base were several tunnels that led to Tetsu's capital, none of them reaching the castle on the hill, but they reached inside or rather under the city. The ends of these tunnels that were under the city would be openned up to allow escapees to get in. Waiting in these tunnels would be wagons, but instead of being pulled by ankylos or any other animals, the clones would be the ones pulling. The escapees would ride these wagons all the way to the base. Once the wagons were several meters away from the openings, the clones that remained there would collapse the tunnels. To the escapees it would look like the clones sacrificed their lives for the escapees to escape.

Once safely in the base the people would be passed over into the care of the medic clones, after they were treated they would be given the choice of going to Naruto's fortress of staying and helping out.

The attack was underway. The sentries of the city received no warning when they were suddenly attacked. The ankylos stopped moving forward when they had reached the a certain distance from the city, then they began firing their ballistas. They would serve as the long range cover for the shinobi clones that were darting forward ready to engage the city guard.

The city got a kick out of the agressiveness shown by the clones that looked like soldiers from the other countries. Some of the clones were able to bypass the guards and went all pyromaniac on the buildings in the city.

Unlike Naruto's fortress, there was no wall that protected the city from invasion, the only walls that were there were the ones that protected the castle. After this little battle, a wall would be constructed. To the defenders it looked like the other countries had grown tired of them and formed an alliance against them.

The clones that did not join in on the pyro-fest raced to the castle walls. Once there they set exploding tags on the walls, went to a safe distance then watched the fireworks. The tags were strong enough to bring down a mine shaft, but were only strong enough to dent the walls. The sound of the explosion alerted the soldiers that were nearby which them went to defend the walls. The clones had to divide themselves, a third would blow a hole into the walls, while the rest would keep the defenders at bay.

It took the attackers three hours of continuous blasting to blow a good sized hole in the wall. There was only one hole in the wall that was made in that time, it was good enough for the clones. The ones detaining the defenders continued what they were doing, while the demolition group made their way inside. They raced toward the pit as fast as they could, any resistance that they met were dealt with swiftly, they were even able to knockout the daimyou that they were not supposed to get rid of as of yet, they also didn't have the time to do such things. The clones were running on a tight schedule. Once they got inside the castle they had to get the people they were after as fast as they possibly could, without using jutsus or magic or anytihng else out of the ordinary, then get out with their targets.

Inside the city, the pyromaniacs had to deal with the sudden arrival of the defending soldiers, as well as the people living in the city, some of whom helped the clones attack the soldier, these were the people that were made to eat a relative as punishment for displeasing the daimyou or any military offical for that matter. The clones that encountered these people decided then and there that they too would be brought back to base. So after dealing with the nuisances that were the soldiers, the clones brought these people and their families to the tunnels.

Outside the city the defenders had managed to make their way to the ankylos, but they were having an extremely hard time dealing with them, those things packed a lot of power with every swing of their tails, the spikes didn't help their victims either. None of the ankylos were injured so far, but some of the riders had already died. Once a clone died it burst into flames, it made the defenders think that it was some sort of precaution against being used as food for the Tetsu army. The soldiers just couldn't figure out how it happened. Seeing that happen the defenders increased the ferocity of their attacks. They bagan to push back the ankylos. The ankylos were being forced to retreat since their riders didn't want any of them to wander off.

Due to the ankylos pulling back the mages had to resort to buffing the ankylos, making them faster. Naruto could not afford any of his ankylos to be captured.

The clones had finally made their way into the pit, some of the POWs thought that their prayers had been answered and that their daimyou's had finally sent over someone to rescue them. But they soon learned that it wasn't meant to be, since some of the POWs decided that it would be impossible for them to escape the city, and more so the country. So they thought that they could curry favor with their captors and maybe be granted a bit of freedom like be allowed into their army instead of in the pit, they did this by attacking the clones. This made the clones' jobs harder. The attacking people were hindering their movements. Some of the clones were taken out of commission. Even with all the help that the Chisio Bushins were providing, it was almost no use. They got it, but getting out seemed to be almost impossible. Some of the clones started to hear approaching footsteps from outside the pit. The soldiers had found out where they all were.

The clones decided to use their smoke bombs to create a distraction as well as decrease visibility. Then they would use the shadows to find their targets. The extraction operation was getting harder and harder. Time was running out for them, it almost came to the point where they would have to use a jutsu or two to complete their mission.

But they didn't need to resort to jutsus, what they thought were approaching soldiers were actually their comrades come to help them out. They had somehow trapped the denfenders somewhere.

With these reinforcements getting the people that they were sent to get out out became easier, they still had to fight off the attacking POWs. With the thought of possible escape some of the non-targets followed the clones out. Originally it was only supposed to be the targets that would get out along with the clones, but plans change. There were more people that were brought out, these people helped the clones, so the clones couldn't just leave them.

Once all the clones and escapees were speeding off to the base, the clones waved goodbye before they collapsed the tunnels in full view of the escapees, they were unable to stick with the plan due to the incoming defenders.

As soon as the signal was sent to all the clones that the escapees had been taken to the tunnels, the ones still fighting in the city commited suicide, taking one or two soldiers with them. The mages were forced to use a mass teleportation spell to get themselves and the ankylos back to base, the spell was disguised by an earthquake that they caused which formed a crack in the earth that looked like they fell in it.

All in all the clones lost half of their number in the attack. But their mission was still a success since all their targets were brought to the base, along with a few bonuses.

Naruto didn't really mind the bonuses since it was a possibility that his clones would bring more people than originally planned.

Since these people had been forced into practicing cannibalism, Naruto decided to treat them to real food, food that he himself prepared, with chef clones as just helpers. He felt bad that he didn't go with his clones into battle, but it was nescessary that no one find out that he was the cause of the attack, yet.

The people were surprised at the way that they were being treated, when they were given the choice on what they wanted to do, all the healthy people decided to stay around, while the younger ones, specifically children and the weaker people were sent to the fortress, that Naruto had yet to name.

After deciding to stay, Naruto assigned them to different divisions in the base. Some of the men were assigned to the soldier division, some of them were sent to work with the ankylos, and the others to other divisions. The bulk of the volunteers went to the ankylos, since the clones that manned the ballistas were decimated in the attack.

Like in the other two countries, Naruto would have his forces in Tetsu conentrate on freeing prioners and slaves for the time being. They wouldn't be actively and directly taking on the resident army.

Naruto spent some time getting to know the people that he had rescued, he also got to know Tsukiko a little bit more, as well as Yoshiko. He learned that the pair were originally from Sakura no Kuni and were visiting some distant relatives of her late husband in Tetsu when they were abducted.

Being Naruto's friend Tsukiko was trusted above all the other escapees, this made Naruto choose her to be in charge of the base once he left. Of course he had to show her the ropes first, as well as leave some advisors for her. The advisors were ultimate scholar clones, they focused on knowledge, they could fight, but not as well as the shinobi clones.

It was a week later that the base received its first visitor from one of the other two bases. Tamotsu came to visit, rather Ryuu needed some information to be personally given to Naruto, since he couldn't leave he sent Tamotsu in his place.

The man was no longer in the uniform of a guard, but actually looked like an officer, he wore a sash that had the kanji for two embrioded into it with silver thread. Instead of a bodysuit he wore a dark purple shirt and black pants with many pockets. Instead of armor he wore a mythril undershirt, and a vest over his shirt. Fastened on his waist was katana. Ryuu and Gekai had decided on implementing this new part of the uniforms so that the officers were easily spotted by their subordinates.

The information that he brought Naruto was that Naiya and Nasu couldn't get their hands on anymore prisoners or slaves. Either the two countries had already run out, or they were being kept secret locations that most likely only the highest tier of officers and officials knew about. Ryuu's position wasn't high enough to get this information.

The new uniform for the offiers was originally proposed by Ryuu, which Gekai approved, then the two sent a message to Yahiko to inform him of it. The three men kind of standardized it. Naruto already knew this information, but he wouldn't reveal the existence of his ultimate clones to even his friends. The mystery of where Naruto got his clone officers and clone officials would remain his secret. He wouldn't teach his bushin versions to anyone, well at least he didn't plan on doing it.

With the information Tamotsu brought some designs with him, as well as some ready made ones for any officers that Naruto had in his Tetsu base.

After the sharing of information, Tamotsu was introduced to Tsukiko and some of her chosen subordinates, most of whom were former officers, none of them were clones. He was also introduced to the advisors. When asked why Nasu's base didn't have any, Naruto said that Gakai didn't need any. Tamostsu realized that it was true, the man did not really even ask for advice.

Tamotsu stayed in Tetsu for week to help Tsukiko and her officers get used to their duties and such. Due to past experiences, as well as forced lessons from Gekai, he was able to create a basic system for the base operate. He shared stories about what the officers in Nasu did in different situations. He even explained how to use the base's main teleportation gate, something that Naruto had actually forgotten to do.

A week after Tamotsu left the base, this time under Tsukiko's command, began its second military operation. Some of Naruto's spies all over the country had sent in information about the confirmed location of a warehouse that held some recent slave acquisitions. With this information Tsukiko assembled the soldiers, and with a little bit of help from Naruto, came up with a plan to rescue these people. The location was a week away, so the army brought some temporary teleportaton gates with them. This would be the first test for Tsukiko and her officers. Naruto left Tsukiko and her subordinates to it. The whole operation was under their command. But that didn't mean that Naruto didn't participate in it, well they didn't know that he was keeping an eye or two on the marching army.

Due to the first assult, security around the towns, villages, and cities in the country were upped in preparation for future attacks, like the one that was on its way.

Three fourths of the army was made up of clones while the remaining fourth were people. Naruto watched over this army by merely becoming one with the wind. He didn't become the wind, cause if he did Tsukiko and the ones that stayed in the base wouldn't be able to find him.

The operation was a complete success, there was no loss of life on Naruto's side, just a few minor injuries. The army had managed to rescue and additional three hundred people, some of whom were about to minced meat for Tetsu.

After getting back to the base some of the people would claim that there were times when they thought that they would die, but some force had pushed back the Tetsu troops. A sudden gust of wind would send things flying at the Tetsu troops thus allowing Naruto's forces to escape death.

Of course Naruto had to help his people. These near death encounters made the people realize how dangerous their choice was, but none of them decided to go to the still unamed fortress city.

Of the three hundred people that had been rescued, only one hundred had opted to leave. Naruto's forces in Tetsu had grown by two hundred individuals. Some of the clones went to the fortress city with the hundred people that opted not to stay. There were now fewer clones in the base compared to living people.

A week after the successful mission, Yahiko came for a visit. There wasn't much to do in Naiya, there were very few slaves left in captivity, the daimyou had decided that due to the attacks and breakouts that he would focus on his army than on acquiring more slaves for the time being. He had half of his forces focus on locating the escapees, while the other half were focused on attacking the other countries, they were to pillage and plunder as much as they could in each and every battle.

Security in the cities and towns had increased exponetially. It seemed that Naiya had gained more man power due to the daimyou waging war with the slave traders, taking out the heads with some assassins that he had found. He then drafted the slave traders' people into his army.

According to Yahiko, Nasu was also doing the same thing. Naiya and Nasu had formed a very shaky alliance due to the attacks and breakouts that Yahiko had orchestrated. The two daimyous had seen the pattern, they noticed the organized threat. There was a possibility that the cause of the attacks and breakouts really were the other countries, but they had noticed the recent events in Tetsu.

Yahiko came to warn the Tetsu base of the possibility that Naiya and Nasu would somehow form another shaky alliance with Tetsu to battle the plague that Naruto's forces were.

After sharing the information with Naruto he decided to help Tsukiko out some more, by giving her some ideas as to what to do in her future attacks. Security had been drastivally increased around the country and more thought out plans would be needed to accomplish any future missions.

Naruto let them do as they pleased, it seemed that things were going according to plan. Of what he had seen in Naiya, he believed that all the other countries had similar social problems. Naruto saw that there was much injustice in among the nine countries. It seemed like these nine countries were the most war torn countries in all of Elemental at the time.

After his first successful rescue mission in Naiya Naruto planned on getting the nine countries to somehow work together to fight him. Once they banded together against Naruto, he would then crush them all at the same time, ridding their countries of their control. He would recreate the nine into something close to the utopian ideal.

Naiya and Nasu had alredy signed their death warrants by joining forces, soon Tetsu, then the next country, then the next.

He had received the latest report from Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo, which gave him details about the love of slaves of the nobility of the other countries, their love of torturing POWs as a form of entertainment, their greed for wealth and pleasure, as well as their ability and continued efficieny in making a majority of their people unhappy.

The war between the nine lands had been going on for more than nine hundred years, it was getting close to the thousandth year. The three estimated that if nothing was done to stop the war once and for all then the war would spill out into the rest of Elemental.

The three hadn't been able to do anything for the suffering people in the other six countries, they weren't Naruto, they didn't have the resources to do anything other than report their findings to him. After completing their missions the three returned to the fortress city to prepare for Naruto's planned war, the end to end the nearly thousand year war.

Yahiko, just like Tamotsu stayed for a week. During the week after Yahiko left, Naruto started to make plans to finally leave Tetsu for the next of the nine lands, Sakura no Kuni. He'd be visiting Tsukiko's country, and seeing how he could help there.

When he wasn't coming up with his plan, he spent some time with the only child that actually was allowed to stay in the base, Yoshiko, the little girl had grown on him just like her mother. When he wasn't playing with the little girl of teaching her stuff with the help of the advisors, he spent his time with Tsukiko. She told him about her country, some reasons as to why the country had entered into the war all those hundred of years ago, as well the basic geography of the place. Through his talks and walks with her around the base, Naruto had learned that out of all the countries, Sakura was the greenest one of them all. It really prided itself for having all those sakura trees that gave the country its name. One of the reasons, asides from the greed and pride reasons, for going to war with the other countries was that the daimyou and his ancestors wanted to purge the world of ugliness. Sure they had their own POWs to torture, and slaves to mistreat, but their reasoning for war was that the other countries were ugly, that the other countries were not beautiful enough to be allowed to taint the perfectness of the world.

But of all the things that made the country stand out from the rest was the importance the nobility gave to women. They took the treatment of women as objects to a whole new level. Women were supposed to be beautiful, the country actually had standards for beauty. If a family had a daughter, that daughter at a certain age would have to reach the standard else her entire family was penalized. The punishment for ugliness was obviously death. All the women in the country were supposed to be perfect. Of course there were some that had escaped death by hiding, or something like that. Some families actually sold their daughters into slavery, since there was a greater chance that they would live as compared to not reaching the standards set up by the government.

As to being objects, the standards stated that only certain families or people were alllowed to keep such beauty in their homes. The most beautiful of women and girls were given to the nobles, as well as some of the soldiers. One of the things promised to soldiers was a really warm bed once in a while. Military prowess was rewarded by being given the chance to test their prowess in bed.

There were a bunch of other things in the country that were really different from the other countries. The standard of beauty sometimes even applied to some men, or rather boys. Being a bishounen was a bad thing for your family. In Sakura being such was immoral, men were maciuline creatures, not pretty boys. The parents of one of these pretty boys were killed out right, the father was given a slow and painful death, while the mother for the crime of producing such a beautiful boy was torn limb from limb.

Naruto didn't really get to come up with a real plan on how to get to Sakura no Kuni's capital or how to integrate himself into that society. Due to Tsukiko and Yoshiko, Naruto decided to stay for a week longer.

At the end of the week he greatly regretted staying longer. But he really had to leave, so he just left the two girls a note in the care of one of the advisors instead of personally telling them that he was leaving.

He decided to walk or run to Sakura no Kuni. On the way he figured that he would pose as an artist, since art was considered as beautiful then he create some stuff along the way.

* * *

It took Naruto one whole month and two weeks to get to Sakura no Kuni's capital city. The country really was beautiful, it was somehow able to avoid getting polluted by bloodshed. It took Naruto that long to get to the country since he had to go about creating his works of art. He had managed to acqurie a wagon along the way to carry his art pieces, ones that he would give to the daimyou as gifts, well more like a bribe to allow him to stay in the capital, foreigners were not permitted to stay in the capital, one of the reasons being that the country was at war with the closest eight nations.

While traveling through the country he passed a smaller cities, at some of these he managed to find some individuals to talk with about art. In one city he went so far as to say that art was a bang, it was fleeting. The person he was talking to at that time begged to disagree, art was meant to be forever, it was eternal. Naruto was able to give a demonstration as to how an explosion could be viewed as beautiful. The other artist showed Naruto a form of art that could be considered as eternal. A story, could ace the test of time if it ws good enough, a story was passed down to each generation. To enhance a story, the way it was told was always different. His way was by telling the story through puppet shows. His marionettes being very well crafted, and the puppets that were supposed to depict the female gender looked like they even met the standards.

After their demonstrations, they each promised one another that they would meet up again sometime to once again share art with one another. Although their views differed they became friends. The other artist's name was surprisingly Hyakume Tsuneo, he was somehow distantly related to Hyakume, how Naruto had no idea and it was not likely that he would ever find out.

Instead of parting ways Tsuneo had decided to travel with Naruto to another city that was hosting an art convention of sorts, it was more like an auction. As the two artists traveled together, Tsuneo learned that Naruto's view on art wasn't only that it was fleeting, that was merely one of his views. Naruto's actual view on art was that it was balanced, art was nuetral in a sense. For beauty to exist there must be ugliness. Tsuneo saw the logic in Naruto's view on art.

Once the two reached the city where the convention was being held they were directed to a the warehouse district of the city, that was where the convention was being held. Apparently someone had been able to make the warehouse not look like a warehouse, but a work of art. Naruto was greatly tempted to spam scholar clones to figure out how it was done.

Naruto and Tsuneo then set up a booth that they shared. For the first three days Tsuneo showed the pieces that he was planning on auctioning off, then the next three days it was Naruto's turn. On the seventh day, their pieces were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Who it was the two didn't know, nor did they really care.

After the convention, the two finally parted ways, Naruto heading for the capital, while Tsuneo claimed that he had some other business to attend to in another part of the country.

Once in the capital Naruto was able to easily get an audience with the daimyou. The man was well built, more than well built even, he was like The Hulk, but not as bulky, he also didn't get stronger the madder he got, which was a shame.

Naruto showed the daimyou his creations, which the daimyou liked, then before he was to leave the presence of the daimyou announced that they were gifts. When asked why Naruto was givnig them to him as gifts Naruto told the daimyou that he was an artist from a far off land that had heard of his love for the finer things in life, and wanted to bask in the beauty of the capital city. Due to the gifts and some more flattery Naruto was allowed to stay, and was even granted a plot of land to build a home, as well as some more compensation for his long and arduous journey.

Naruto immediately went to work on his new home, which would also serve as his temporary base of operations until he could find a place to build or set up the actual base. He had to do everything the normal way, he had to hire workers, which took quite some time. Even carpenters and the like were treated as artists. Even though Naruto had wanted the workers to build him a small house, they filled in slightly more than half of the lot with a magnificent house. Apparently there was a standard for the size of a house in the city.

It took the workers a month to complete the house, in that time Naruto was able to create more works of art that he sold to art lovers in the city, some of the works he gave to the officials of the ciity, and others to the military officers.

Through his encounters with these people, he was able to gather some information about what happened during battles and raids. He learned from the bits and pieces of information that slipped out by accident that jus as in his art, in life there was balance. When it came to the balance that existed in life Naruto was already aware of that, but the balance that he learned of was the one in the lives of the citizens of Sakura no Kuni.

On the outside they openly showed their love of beauty, but there were some that hinted at another side to beauty, an unseen side, one that even the daimyou himself enjoyed and participated in.

When it was nightime Naruto would go around the city snooping around for clues as to where prisioners and slaves were kept, if there even were those kinds of people. It really was possible that there were no prisoners and that everyone that the Sakura army met on the battlefield was killed, every person that didn't meet their standards was instantly put to death. But Naruto wanted to make sure, he also wanted to investigate the things he had learned from his brief encounters with the uppercrust of Sakura society.

It was one week after his house was finished that he accidentally stumbled upon the balance to the city's beauty. He had falled into the sewers when he wasn't paying attention. While in it he heard echoes of screaming and shouting. Those weren't sounds that would normally be heard in the city, so Naruto waded through the gunk until he reached a grate that led to a ventilation shaft. Since the screaming and shouting was being carried out to the sewer by the shaft Naruto decided that he would follow the sounds by crawling.

He crawled until he found what he was looking for. It was a grate that showed him the inside of a room, inside the room were some people that he had met during the month of his house's construction. These people were performing perverse acts of violence on restrained individuals, some of the individuals looked worse than ragdolls.

After seeing that Naruto moved onwards, wanting to see what else Sakura was hiding while at the same time not wanting to know anymore. What he found out sickened, horrified, and shocked him. On the outside the people of Sakura no Kuni, especially the elite were extremists when it came to beauty, hidden beneath the surface, literally, they were extremists when it came to the balance of such beauty, they were monstrous. They were just as sick or in some cases worse than the people of Tetsu, at least in Tetsu they showed their true colors out in the open, but here in Sakura everything was hidden beneath the skin.

The ones that got treated the worst were the women, there was a lot of things that were done to the women, these things ranged from a simple beating to well tearing them limb from limb. Some of the women were eaten alive in all senses of the word eaten.

If Naruto were into sadism and masochism, this place would be heaven. Its a good think that he wasn't into that kind of thing.

Naruto had even managed to find the daimyou himself participating in these acts of perverse cruelty, he was actually the cruelest of them all.

After that night, Naruto returned to spying on the people in the underground, while doing so he found out that the people being subjected to such cruel fates were not just prisoners or slaves, some were citizens that disagreed with the majority of the nobles and military, some of these people were even members of the daimyou's clan itself.

As Naruto watched all the suffering he tried to come up with ways to get them out of there, but all of his plans were either incomplete or nearly impossible to implement. One of his major problems was that he didn't know how to get there in the first place, all the grates that he had found were sealed shut. There was no way in through the shafts that was not obvious. He learned that there was a labyrinth worth of torture chambers beneath the city, he just couldn't figure out how to get there.

He could try and make his situation worse by getting arrested, by there was a possibility that he would get killed outright. He could use his skills and abilities, but there was a big possibility that he'd get caught.

He didn't know a lot of things concerning the underground torture facility, aside from how to get in, he didn't know if there were times that the torture victims were ever left alone, he didn't know if there were guards in place, if there were guards he didn't know where they were stationed. There were many variables that he didn't know about. Kage Bushin wouldn't help him solve his problem this time, the only viable solution was to use Ultimate Chisio Bushins, but there was a problem in using those. Normally his regenerative ability allowed him to need only a single drop of blood to create a regular chisio bushin, but when it came to the modified version, it took a lot more than just a drop to create even one. One ultimate chisio bushin would cost him one fourth of his total blood supply. The difference between an utimate clone and an ultimate blood clones, was the that the the second one, even though it could die of bloodloss, would last a whole lot longer than a regular ultimate clone, it had more blood in it, couple the already large supply of blood with the Naruto's regenerative ability, and you get a longer lasting clone.

Normally Naruto would use ultimate clones, but in a place like the underground facility, the clones would need to last a whole lot longer than normal. Naruto could only afford to create one clone. He knew that it was a bit cold hearted to send one of his clones to a place like that, but it was nescessary. He also really didn't want to experience what his clone would be experiencing, but he had to endure. For the greater good and all that.

It took Naruto three weeks to prepare himself and to safely create the clone. It would also take a week more for the clone to somehow get sent to the place. Naruto also figured out how to get into the place, without being thought of as a liberator or a spy. It would be risky, but Naruto was hoping that it would work.

So a month after his first encounter with the underbelly of Sakura no Kuni, Naruto once again found himself in the presence of the daimyou. First he showed the daimyou some new works of art, but the quality was somewhat lower than the ones that he had first brought before the ruler. He said he would have given the ruler more beautiful gifts but he was running low on inspiration as of late. He also claimed that he had seen a disturbing sight, there was a man that had been stalking him, Naruto said that the man was probably one of the causes for the quality of his art to have decreased.

Aside from being a master in the field of medicine, a master chef, a seemingly unbeatable foe on the battlefield, and a master of the arts, Naruto was a very good actor. Acting was a skill that he had acquired in his youth, and that he had further refined while training in Zombie-sensei's world. It was also the reason why it was easy for Naruto to create personalities on the fly, which was why his clones were able to act like totally different people, it was also why making some of the clones more real easier. It was also the reason why Naruto was able to 'play god' sometimes.

After listening to Naruto the daimyou acted in the way which Naruto wanted him to act. He said that if Naruto could describe the person, he would have him arrested, and if Naruto wanted, he could punish the man and get back at him for taking away his inspiration.

So Naruto described the man as having long black hair, yellowish eyes, a long face, pale skin, and looked to be wearing purple make-up around his eyes. The man looked exactly like Orochimaru, even acted like the serpent a bit.

Naruto was going to enjoy beating the crap out of his Orochimaru clone, when he got the memories he would just erase them somehow, either erase them or lock them away in some deep and dark corner of his mind, that or take the memory out of his mind, dump it in a bowl or dump it into someone else's mind.

After Naruto gave the ruler the description of the man, the daimyou told him that he would be informed when the man was apprehended and Naruto would be brought to where the stalker would be held.

Naruto was informed of the capture and led to the underground torture chambers on the night of that very same day. He quickly memorized the way to get in, as well as all the other minute details of his trip. Details like how many guards were there, where were the other entrances and exits, the number of other rooms, chambers, and cells that he passed, how the locks looked, all those kinds of stuff.

The guards brought him to the room where the clone was being held in, inside the room the daimyou himself was also waiting for Naruto. He claimed that he wanted to see what Naruto could do.

With the daimyou himself watching, Naruto put on a show. He beat up the defenseless clone with his bare hands. Not long after he started pounding the crap out of the clone Naruto's clothes were stained red with blood. He wasn't wearing his red outfit, actually he hadn't worn the outfit for a long time, the last time that he did was right before he left his fortress city.

By the end of the torture session the daimyou was impressed by how Naruto handled the prisoner. In his eyes Naruto was a true artist. There wasn't a place in which the clone wasn't bleeding. He informed Naruto that there was no schedule in which in he had to follow to gain access to the underground. It was open to all who knew of its existence the whole day. But most people preferred to go there at night. The time that mirrored the day.

Naruto asked if he could tour the facility, which the ruler answered that he could. He could even visit the other residents of the underground and play with them.

After the daimyou left Naruto alone with his prisoner, Naruto left the room and went exploring. He decided that he would personally map out the entire place. A task that could not be accomplished in one night, or day for that matter.

It took Naruto a full two weeks to map out the entire underground, he had found a lot of captives, as well as people that were supposed to be dead. He even found some people that he didn't think he'd ever see locked up in the place. But out of all the people that he had seen in the underground there were two that had shocked him the most, the first one was the previous daimyou. The previous daimyou was the only one out of all of the daimyou's of his line that had tried to end the war, but apparently his son would have none of that. The other perosn was someone that Naruto did not want to see in the place, Tsuneo.

The man was badly beaten and unconscious when Naruto came across his cell, it was probably a good thing too, because if he had seen Naruto, he probably would have died on the spot.

Seeing his friend in there made Naruto want to break them all out sooner. Seeing people he didn't know personally suffer was one thing, but seeing one of his friends suffer was another thing entirely.

Once Naruto got back to his house he summoned up some scholar clones to help him come up with a plan. The only plan that would work was one that involved his clones dressing up as agents from other coutries, again. It was a tried and tested tactic, it would have to do the trick. The only questions that remained unanswered were when he would do it, and where would he take them. He obviously couldn't take them back to his house, no matter how big it was. So before he could break them out, he would first have to find a place to set up his base of operations in Sakura no Kuni.

So for the next week Naruto went out of the city to look for the perfect place during the day, then once night came he would go to the underground and beat the blood out of the blood clone.

At the end of the week Naruto was lucky enough to find the perfect place. It was a valley not that far from the city, the city was found on and around some hills that had numerous sakura trees. The valley on the other hand was more like a forest with only sakura trees. It wasn't too near or too far from the city. Another thing about the valley, was that the mountain range that surrounded it was pink, since the slopes were covered in sakura trees that were in full bloom all year round.

On the day that he found the perfect place, Naruto opened up a temporary Gate and had his army of clones march out and construct the base. The base was something that the clones were used to seeing, it was a fort, built just like the forts that littered Naruto's prvate world. But instead of having dragons, rocs, or ankylosaurus sent over, Naruto chose direwolves, the ones the size of horses.

Once his army was there, Naruto swiftly made his way back to the city just in time for the daimyou to watch him turn his Orochimaru clone into mush. Sometime during that week Naruto started to get bored with just having a serpent punching bag, so he created another situation which allowed him to have his own Mizuki punching bag. Oh joy what fun, the loss of blood was worth it.

Now that he had his base, he could start his operation, but since he didn't know how the Sakura army worked he was prepared for a long mission, he had enough clones and supplies to last a month.

The operation officially began a week after the base was founded. Unlike Naruto's last operation which occurred during day time, this one started at night, more specifically it started after an hour after dusk. Five armies from what appeared to be five countries silently made their way to the capital. The direwolves being just a more fearsome and vicious version of man's best friend had no handler, they only had trainers, and they could work with any of the clones. They too were silent, their black coats were ideal for a night time attack. The operation was one based on stealth, the clones were all shinobi clones, no mages or anything else. All of their masks bearing the kanji for the number four. The clones and the wolves would use every trick they knew of to not be seen, by anyone at all.

The only clones that were purposely going to make themselves known, were the ones wearing the uniforms and colors of the other countries that Naruto had yet to visit. These clones would make their presence known to, at first all the people that knew of the underground, then everyone else. Among those that they would attack would be an ultimate chisio bushin, one that would not change how it looked, but look like Naruto himself.

Naruto would leave his clone, which he decided to just call the artist clone, to be the one to be him in the capital. He would be one of the model citizens of the country. He would fight valiantly for Sakura no Kuni and create marvelous and beautiful works of art, and so on and so forth. The artist clone would be Naruto's front, which would allow him to move on after the operation was a success.

Naruto would personally end the life of his Orochimaru and Mizuki clones then proceed to personally be the one to save his friend, and not one of his clones.

Once the majority of the clones and the wolves were in the city, the actor clones made their move, they simultaneously attacked the residences of all the people that knew of the existence of the undergeround facility.

While that happened Naruto and his clones dug a hole into the ground, and once they reached the stone ceiling of the facility he punhed a hole into it allowing himself and the clones access to the people within.

After killing off the clones, Naruto swiftly made his way to where he knew his friend was. As he got there he was relieved to find his friend still alive. But his friend didn't recognize him since he was disguised as one of the generals of the Sakura army.

He picked up his friend with ease and made his way to the hole. Once out of it he jumped onto the back of one of the direwolves all the while carrying his friend, with another clone that held two more people around their waists. Naruto then had the wolf run as swiftly as it could back to base.

Naruto didn't stay there long, as soon as the people were dropped off, he and his clone and the wolf went back to make another pick up.

Luckily, due to the chaos caused by the actor clones, all the prisoners were successfully taken back to the base.

All were treated, once they were each given the choice of retreating to the relative safety of the fortress city, all of them chose the other choice, they all decided to stay.

Some time during the next day Naruto made his way over to his friend to see how he was doing.

"Yo, Tsuneo, how ya feeling?" Naruto asked his friend as he sat down beside the man.

"Better than a few hours ago."

"So, what did you do to get stuck in that hellhole?"

"Would you believe I was trying to do what you guys did?"

"Eh, seriously?"

"Yeah. Had I known you were part of some resistance group, I'd have gone to you for help."

"Had I known you were planning something similar I would've gladly welcomed you."

"What do you mean by 'you' exactly?"

Before Naruto could answer the question someone else did, one of Naruto's general clones, one that went by the name Waza.

"He's the Boss of this whole operation," Waza said.

Tsuneo stared at Naruto in disbelief, he couldn't believe that his fellow artist was the man behind the rescue operation.

"That true?" Tsuneo asked Naruto as Waza walked away from the two.

"Yeah, its true," Naruto answered, "So, did you work with another group of liberators or something?"

"Yeah, though I don't know what happened to them after our failed operation. We were all send to different facilities."

"Do you know where these other facilities are located?"

"Yeah I do. Why? Are you planning on breaking my friends out too?"

"Sure am, but you'll have to give me or tell me everything you know about those other facilities."

"Oh thats simple. They're all underground, under all the major cities. If you'd let me I could draw you a more accurate map of the country."

"Draw a map?"

"Yeah."

"How bout you paint one instead? What kind of artist are you anyway?"

"I can't paint, I can sculpt, but painting is way beyond me, you'll have to suffer at the sight of a mere drawing."

"I think I'll live through the experience."

At that the two men shared a laugh.

"You know, you look like you've done this kind of thing before," Tsuneo said.

"Thats cause I have, Sakura is the fourth country I've done something like this."

"So you're the guy in charge of the Naiya, Nasu, and Tetsu breakouts? Amazing!"

"Yeah, well what else was I supposed to do, leave those people to rot? No way!"

"Good think you didn't leave 'em to rot. You're part of the reason why my original group was founded, we wanted to do as you did in those countries. But its seems that we weren't experienced enough."

"Well now that you're working under me, you'll get all the experience you need. On that same note, how would you like to learn how to use the art of puppetry in battle?"

"Is that even possible?"

"Yep."

"I'd have to see it first to believe it."

"Sure thing, follow me," Naruto said as he stood up.

The two then went to the supply room, where Naruto fetched two puppets then led the way to a training ground.

Once there Naruto attached the invisible chakra strings to the two puppet and had then fight one another as Tsuneo watched.

Their movements were bascially just punches and kicks, but the mere possibility that puppets could be controlled without the use of strings intrigued Tsuneo.

"So Tsuneo, wanna learn?"

Tsuneo just nodded, still slightly shocked.

So Naruto led his friend to one of his special clones, it was special in the sense that it was the only one of its kind presently in existence. It was a Puppet clone, this clone did not have blood flowing in its veins, it had chakra, its blood was chakra, its bones were made out of solidified chakra. It was special also in the sense that Naruto had merged a soul with the clone, making it one of Naruto's 'playing god' successes.

"Tsuneo will be your first student, so don't botch it up," Naruto said to the clone as he walked away to do whatever.

"I am Chikamatsu Monzaemon, puppet master," he said introducing himself to Tsuneo.

"Ah..I am Hyakume Tsuneo, puppeteer."

"Any relation to Hyakume Hyakume?"

"Who?"

"Never mind. Meet me here tomorrow morning so that I may start your training. We will not immediately delve into making our kugutsu move, since you still need to learn how to access the energy I use to make the invisible strings. Understood?"

"Hai."

"Good, then I shall see you tomorrow."

After being dismissed Tsuneo went off to look for Naruto since he didn't know where he was going to be staying exactly. He found Naruto sitting on one of the branches of a Sakura tree.

"Hey Rosuto! You gonna tell me where I'm gonna sleep or what?" he called out to his friend.

"Huh? You say something Tsuneo?"

"Rosuto! I don't know where I'm going to stay!"

"Kidding, kidding, I heard you the first time," Naruto then dropped off of the branch, "Come on then, I'll show you to the barracks."

Naruto led Tsuneo to the barracks of the base. Instead of going to where the rest of the people were staying Naruto led the man to a room that had only one other occupant, Monzaemon.

"Hehe, you'll be staying here with your sensei. Once you've learned enough to be called a master, you'll have to take on at least one student, and so on and so on."

"I'm staying here? What's this some sort of kugutsu division or something?"

"Yup, have fun with Monzaemon," Naruto cheerily said as he left his friend alone with the puppet clone.

"So any chance of getting a head start on those lesson?"

"Fine.."

Two weeks had passed before Naruto's forces were ready to go out and take on another city. But the city that they were going to attack was one that had a fortress nearby, since it was close to one of the borders.

* * *

The day before the attack Kyonshi had popped up from out of nowhere just to tell Naruto that lesson number three had just begun. The man had no sense of time or timing whatsoever. He informed Naruto that lesson number three was going being lesson number two. Lesson number three was named: Legend.

Kyonshi gave Naruto the task of becoming a legend. Why? Cause he'd already learned enough to be one, that and he couldn't think up anything else Naruto could do at the time. The nut job of an animated corpse also informed Naruto of some added rules to the game, as well as to be prepared for some unnatural things to happen in the future.

Coming from Kyonshi, that warning was an omen for baaaaad things to happen. But such things were only going to happen after lesson number three ended and Naruto graduated from Zombie school.

But before leaving Naruto, he informed his pupil that he had added a few other things to his world. Like bigger than normal moles to help Naruto with digging and stuff. It was like Naruto was a character in a game that had levelled up and gained access to more stuff.

* * *

Since the target had a fully equipped military base near it, one that was prepared for almost any attack, Naruto would send the regular troops to the target, while he would send Monzaemon to deal with the fortress. Tsuneo would go with the troops that would rescue the prisoners since he was as proficient as the puppet clone at commanding and controlling puppet as of yet. Naruto would yet again not be joining the operation. He would be looking after the base, while at the same time sending out another army to another target a week after the one that was about to leave left. The next target did not have a military base near it, but it was farther, it was three weeks away from base camp. Then another week after that operation, Naruto would send an army to attack another city to get the prisoners held over there out. That city being a month away. All of the armies that Naruto was sending out were equipped with temporary teleportation gates. He expected all the armies to return to base by the end of the fourth month of that year. By the time the third army would be sent out the fourth month of that year would have just begun.

During the first attack Monzaemon had brought with him only ten puppets, each one he controlled using only one finger. He stood at a visible distance away from the fortress which was where he would orchestrate his attack. It was dusk when he struck, he sent the ten puppets to the base disguised as traveling actior who were looking for a place to stay in exchange for a performace. The man in charge of the fortress readily let them in, a play would provide some form of entertainment for his men.

Monzaemon had mastered the use of his puppets so much that he could literally see what they saw, and if he wanted to feel, hear, smell, and taste what they did as well, via his chakra link with them. That was how he masterfully controlled them. From the get go his puppets were already in a play.

Once the play had ended the puppets were led to a room, they were even given a young plaything to toy with if they wished. The appearance of the young woman caused Monzaemon to grow curious. He decided to have one of the puppets investigate, snoop around the fortress and see if there were any prisoners held and tortured there. By asking the man in charge of the fortress for the possibility of another plaything, it was led to the dungeons of the fortress, where it found around a hundred men and women. The women were for stress relief, while the men were used as an output for pent up negative emotions.

Finding that out Monzaemon knew what he was going to do. His next actions would forever immortalize his name in history, as the puppeteer to take down a fortress with only ten puppets. How that would happen if Naruto was supposed to be the only one who knew how to use chakra to the extent that he did, would be because he was not the only one who knew how to manipulate chakra. Passing in view of the fortress would be a nomadic clan that knew how to manipulate chakra, their speciality would be the use of chakra strings to move things around, none of which were puppet as they were still far too complex for the clan.

Once Monzaemon initiated his attack, it quickly turned into a slaughter. He was authorized to use jutsu via his puppets, and use them he did, it would not matter since the only witnesses would be prisoners that were to be let out, and they would be too weak to actually see and be mesmerized by the attacks that Monzaemon was going to use.

Once he initiated his attack, that would be the signal for the rescue army to begin their operation. The city would be in high alert, sending all available men to the fortress. Once that happened Naruto's fortress would do as they did in the capital, which is what they did once Monzaemon unleashed his puppets on the unsuspecting soldiers.

By dawn the whole fortress had been brought to the ground, not a soldier was left standing. But all the hundred or more prisoners were freed, Monzaemon standing amongst them and preparing his temporary teleportation gate for use, his puppets were searching the ruble for any soldier that he missed.

An hour after dawn three families from the nomad clan separated from their passing group and headed for where the fortress once lay to investigate its destruction, they found the former prisoners, the puppets, and Monzaemon there.

The eldest among the three families approached Monzaemon.

"Were you the one that did this?" he asked.

"Yes, now what do you want?"

"How?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it matters! My clan is one of the few clans out in the world that know how to do what you did. I want to know how is it that you were able to do it."

"Ahh, one of the nomads then. We were wondering when we'd encounter one of you."

"You haven't answered my question."

"Practice, practice, practice."

"Well since you've got us interested in your art, would it be possible to learn from you?"

"If you agree to help my master with his plans, sure why not, I'm already teaching someone else my art."

"Thank you," he walked back to his family and told them that they would not be returning to the clan. Some of the members of the three families were not pleased with his decision, but he was the eldest of them and therefore the one to be followed. The decision was based on the want to further master the clan's speciality.

The rescue operation went without a hitch, all the defending soldiers had rushed to the fortress as it was the first place that was attacked. That led to all of their deaths. The only souls that witnessed the destruction was the passing clan and the people of the nearby city. The city had suffered no deaths, they hadn't even known that they too were attacked until they found all of their prisoners missing.

All in all the mission was a success. The same went for the other two amries' missions, except they suffered some losses, clones at least, whenever one of the people were about to get killed or hurt too badly a clone would take its place with a quick kawarimi. No one noticed how it happened, but the clone would burst into flames after it was killed. This made the people reflect on how loyal Naruto's men were to him, they went as far as to not allow even their beodies to be possessed by the enemy.

By thinking it over, they noticed that the clones followed Naruto's every order, and anticipated some of the things he had them do. Their loyalty and willingness to serve him was great. Some of the people wondered what it was that got them to decide to fight with him, was it because he had somehow rescued them, saved them from their life as prisoners, or was it something more. Its easy and natural to be greatful to one's savior, but to be willing to fight along side said savior was another thing entirely. That was when the people realised that there was just something about Naruto that one couldn't help but like, and be around. The oppressed people of four countries had gravitated to Naruto. What the people also realized was that all of the clones wore the kanji for the number four either on their sleeve or on their shirt or coat.

Once all the people were at the base and were all treated for this and that, they all chose to stay at the base and help out where they could. The three families that had come along with Monzaemon were the only ones aside from Tsuneo to be taught Kugutsu no Jutsu.

A month after those three missions, Naruto appointed Monzaemon and Tsuneo as the commanders of the Sakura base. He planned on leaving the country soon for less beautiful pastures. His next destination was Tenshi no Kuni, which was named that since most of the populace looked like angels, this was a country that Sakura and Tetsu did not attack as much, one could say that they could become allies if it weren't for a few disagreements. Sakura thought that the country's people were beautiful, but since such beauty was shared by both genders they thought it immoral, that and the country side was too ugly for Sakura to take. Tetsu would have allied or made peace with the country since even though they looked like angels they were devils in everything else. The reasons why Tetsu did not ally themselves with that country was that Tenshi viewed cannibalism as too much for them, also Tetsu did not like the fact that the people of Tenshi all looked weak, they hid their strength.

* * *

Naruto reached the capital of Tenshi no Kuni a month after leaving his Sakura base. The capital was by far the strangest one in design, all the buildings looked like enlarged shrines, while the castle looked like a temple. The people of Tenshi no Kuni took their being angels abit too seriously, since they went so far as to live in such a city.

At first Naruto was barred from entering the capital, not for being a foreigner, but for not reaching the standards of the city. So he shapeshifted himself into his Naruko form, with a few modifications. Since he no longer sported whiskers marks, his female form did not have those, she didn't have her hair up in pigtails either, she was also not a blonde but instead had ebony black hair, her breasts were smaller than they originally were, and she was a little bit paler. His female form was his tribute to kitsune, his having one for most of his youth he wanted to atleast keep a part of that with him.

She was an angel of death, her kimono was black as pitch, the embroidered design being that of the sky at night the thread that was used being silver. Her hair was styled in a half bun half ponytail and secured by a kanzashi, or hair ornament. There were very few true geisha, and Naruko was a dead ringer for one of those. She admitted that part of the look was also based on Tsukiko, but that wasn't really all that important.

The guards of the city let her in without hesitation. If a tenshi really did come down from heaven they believed her to be it.

She made her way to the castle and tried to get an audience with the daimyou, surprisingly the first person that she encountered inside was the daimyou herself, it was not a lord like Naruko expected but a lady.

It was an instant audience. The daimyou was surprised to find someone who was actually more beautiful than her, being a woman jealousy reared its ugly head, but was controlled. She was curious as to why someone like Naruko would want to speak with her.

Naruko explained that father who lived in one of the other cities in the country had kept her away from view, no one except for her relatives was permitted to look upon her, so one day she managed to run away. By doing so she met a group of men who were searching for a young woman, since she wasn't the one they were searching for she asked them if they could escort her to the capital, her beauty had been all that was needed to get them to escort her there, or so she said. When asked why she thought of using these men as an escort she explained that she had heard rumors of raids in some other cities by other countries and did not want anything to happen to her as she made her way to the capital. Then the daimyou asked her why she wanted to get to the capital so badly, she answered that she had heard of the daimyou's beauty and wanted to actually compare herself to the daimyou.

The daimyou was impressed with such honesty, and called over one of her attendants and had him compare the two women. He immediately stated that the daimyou was the more beautiful of the two, all the while staring at Naruko. At that blatant lie he was immediately struck down by the daimyou shoving a tanto through his heart.

"We both know who he thought was more beautiful," the daimyou said, "Was there any other reason as to why you would seek me out?"

"I also wanted to learn from a woman with power, I have been sheltered for most of my life and am not that familiar with the way things work."

"I guess that that is a somewhat believeable reason. I'll tell you what, I'll let you stay here, in my castle for a few days. I need to make sure you really are who you say you are."

"Thank you my lady."

Naruko, in Tenshi she didn't go by the name Rosuto, was then led to a room where she would stay for the next couple of days. The daimyou intended to send out some of her soldiers to find out if she really was from some other city, locked up against her will. If she was, then her entire clan would be killed on the spot. It was law that no other should be more beautiful than the daimyou. The daimyou would keep Naruko, who apparently didn't know anything, in her castle, she girl intriued her. She planned on marrying the girl to her son, so that her grandchildren might be more beautiful. Such beauty would not be wasted, all the others that she had caught had been married of to the sons of the elites in her country. If the family could not be found, it would not matter.

Once the servants that had brought Naruko to the room had left her alone, she created ten kunoichi clones and ordered them to go snoop around for any prison or the like. There had to be something like that even in a oountry like Tenshi. Aside from the design of the buildings, another thing that set the country apart from the others was that the land was mostly desert, but in the city there was an abundance of food and water. The reason for engaging in war with the other lands was because, like Sakura, the country did not find ugly things worth keeping in the world. Simplicity and perfection made up their beliefs. That was only one reason, another one were the men's thirst for violence. They openly took pleasure in seeing others in pain or suffering.

After creating the kunoichi clones, Naruko created ten groups of ten shinobi clones. After each creation of shinobi clones was created she ordered each group to travel around the country and as much as possible create the illusion that the country was being plagued by the other nations as well as by bandit and mercenaries. The clones were free to use whatever jutsu they wished, but they had to make sure that the jutsu wasn't too obvious. They were also told to be on the lookout for any nomadic shinobi clans that might want a more permanent home.

Lastly, she created a general clone, just one, this one would be in charge of setting up a base of operations somewhere out in the sea of sands, he would also establish a connection with Naruto's world. After naming the clone Mugoi as well as wishing it luck, Naruko decided that it was time for her to sleep.

A week after being allowed to stay in the castle, the kunoichi clones returned with no information on any of the prisons, if there were any at all. But they did report that they had obtained information as to where the armor and weapons of the country were being mass produced. They also brought information as to where the materials came from. The armor and weapons that the military used were produced in a city that was three weeks away from the capital, while the materials were sold to the country in exchange for glass and some of the lower class citizens, those people that were sold or traded of for the materials were the only reported cases of slave trading that the country participated in. After bringing in that new Naruko had the clones return to searching for any new information.

The daimyou visited Naruko a day later to inform her that she would be marrying her son, the prince of Tenshi no Kuni. This news actually surprised Naruko, maybe she was really too beautiful, too late to change appearances now. She had to find those suffering people that she instinctively knew existed, and fast. She did not want to get married, especially to some insane pretty boy, the fact that he was a guy didn't really cross her mind. When Naruto shapeshifted or transformed he became that person, sure he was still himself deep down inside, but when he became a girl he really became a girl complete with all bodily functions. Icha Icha had nothing on him, err her.

The day after learning of her impending marriage, Naruko was introduced to her fiance. He had an angelic face, with an athletic build. He obviously inherited his looks from his mother, since the father paled in comparison to the son. She was introduced as Rosuto Naruko, she couldn't think up any other name that could be used as her clan name, so that was it. She was then told that she would move into the royal clan compound so that she could get to know her fiance a little bit better. It took Naruko all her self control to reel in her panic. Things were getting out of hand fast. Maybe this approach was not one of the healthiest ones that she had thought up. Those clones had better have found something else to work on fast, else she'd be stuck, married to a guy who was only doing that for her looks.

At the end of that week the kunoichi clones arrived at Naruko's former room to give their report, only to find out that she was not there. The clones didn't panic right away, they got themselves to the undersand base that Mugoi had had build a few hours away from the capital. Thats when they started to panic.

* * *

Due to Naruto's having made so many clones most of the ones that he created somehow gained personalities of their own. It was a bit creepy if he actually stopped and analized it. Oh, yes Naruto had been 'playing god' in the sense that his clones were all somewhat altered, they were more like tsukumogami than lifeless or souless clones. Naruto was too exposed to the energies of the universe that it had affected the way he created clones. Sure he could make them go poof, but he did that so often. There were times in the past that Naruto would secretly create kage bushins back in konoha and have them henge into looking like older versions of himself and his original Naruko form, as well as younger versions and much older verions as well. He used to create a kage bushin family for himself. Well, now he literally had a clone family, this was one thing that Orochimaru had repeatedly failed to do, make living breathing copies of himself. Naruto had a whole 'race' created in his image and likeness, well sort of since most of them changed their appearances to become distinguishabel as well as become a whole other person.

* * *

So the clones were panicking, no big deal Mugoi would solve the problem, he was the general after all. But when even he started to panic, things didn't look too good for them. That was until someone stepped out of the teleportation gate.

"Hey! Who's in charge of this operation?" the person asked.

The clones all stopeed what they were doing when they heard the voice. When they saw the person they realized who it was. It was Tamotsu.

The general clone stepped forward to greet him.

"I am in charge."

"Well, you look like a binch of headless chickens running around like you were when you got here."

"Hehe, its just that we've never encountered a situation like the one we are in now."

"Well what's your name, and what's the situation? Gakai sent me over here to help out."

"We cannot find Naruko-sama."

"Who's that? And where's Rosuto?"

"Naruko-sama is Rosuto-sama's adopted daughter," Mugoi said and sealed the fate of the specially modified ultimate clone that Naruto would have to create in the future to that would be his adopted daughter. Some clones just weren't as good as the original at coming up with plans and lies on the fly.

"Seriously?" Tamotsu asked.

"Hai."

"Since when?"

"Since the beginning. She was traveling with a separate group, and we met up with her here. Rosuto-sama left her in charge of this operation, and me in charge in her absence."

"Well, you're doing a poor job at it."

"Then I guess you'll have to lead us then. I'll act as your advisor of sorts similar to those that help out Tsukiko-sama."

"Eh, alright then," Tamotsu said, "So what happened exactly?"

"Naruko-sama had been staying at the daimyou's castle until recently. She personaly infiltrated the capital. We received our direct orders from her," one of the kunoichi clones stated.

"And you can't locate her now? What were you supposed to tell her anyway?"

"We found the location of the slave pens, well sort of anyway."

"Oh? Where are they then? Underneath the city? The castle? Some other city?"

"There are no facilities so to speak. All the ones that are sold to the slave trade in exchange for materials and supplies are people of the lowest class in society. This country is by no mean poor, but the source of all the materials used to produce their weapons and armor come from these slave rings."

"And?"

"As I said, most of the ones handed over are people from the lowest caste in society. The individuals are mostly the physically weak, the dying, the women, the children, and some members of the noble clans, even the royal clan donates some of its weaker members to the treasury. The country has a take no prisoners attitude in war."

"So what you are saying is that the slave pens are found in the city or cities that deal with the slave traders?"

"Yes."

"And these people are brought there a few days prior to the exchange of goods. That these people are from all walks of life and that it is somewhat random?"

"Hai."

"That makes our job a lot harder. How are we supposed to rescue people that willingly do these things.."

"Err, they don't exactly willingly do them, these people are mostly brought up into believing that when they are sold they are to be recycled into more beautiful things, or that these traders are going to somehow make them deadlier in a sense. In some cases enuchs make the best warriors."

"So how do we tell who to save, and who to let be? I really need Rosuto-sama's input.."

"Well he's not available, his daughter is missing, and you accepted leadership. Now lead," Mugoi told him.

"So is there anything else that you've got?"

"Well not anything that would be entirely useful. We found out that Tenshi no Kuni does not believe in torture, they believe in outright slaughter. Most if not all of the citizens believe that should they prove that they are weak, they shall welcome death or be traded off for materials that would help their country, those that perceive themselves as less beautiful than most also accepts whatever. But there is a law in the country that states that no one, and I mean no one, should be more beautiful than the ruling family, much more so the daimyou herself. Most girls with unrivaled beauty are married of to clan members of the noble and royal clans, while others are killed along with their entire clans."

"Well that still doesn't help us now does it."

"No, it doesn't," Tamotsu then took a moment to think before continuing, "Have you found anyone who secretly opposes the government? Cause in Sakura the previous daimyou was imprisoned for wanting to stop the war. Is there anyone like that here?"

"We haven't managed to find anyone like that."

"Well, when you do find someone, contact me immediately. That person will be the first one we extract, no matter who it may be."

"Hai Tamotsu-sama!" the kunoichi said before the vanished, which was an action that Tamotsu had not yet encountered.

"How did they do that?" he asked Mugoi.

"Ah...you weren't supposed to find out about that..."

"Mugoi," he said, "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"None that I am aware of, sir," Mugoi stated, but the look that Tamotsu was giving him forced him to say a bit more, "There are a lot of things that you have not been told, the ability of those women is one of those things. Until Rosuto-sama's plan has reached its final stages, We, his people are not supposed to leak too much information."

"So you're saying that Rosuto is capable of more things? That there are more than just dragons and battle puppets?"

"Precisely."

"Great."

"Tamotsu-sama, before you allow dark thoughts to cloud your perception of Rosuto-sama, uhm we still have a missing commander to locate."

"Right, his daughter. Is it possible that she may have just gone out for the day or something?"

"Not possible, those ten did not sense her presence."

"So they can sense when someone is around huh, another ability I wasn't supposed to know about?"

"Eh..ah...not exactly."

"Can you do that, sense others presence I mean."

"Yes, to a degree."

"You guys really should teach that skill to the new guys like me. Compared to you lot I'm still considered as new."

"How bout you ask Naruko-sama when we find her. Let her decide. "

"Fine by me."

"What would be the simplest way to find out where she could have gone?"

"Well, you could disguise yourself as a beautiful girl and ask the daimyou herself all the while sewing a fake story of woe, and that you had been a caged bird all your life and only recently escaped to seek refuge in the capital away from your oppressive relative."

"I doubt that I could pull that off."

"Well, we could always just attack the capital. During all the confusion we might be able to find her, somehow."

"Is it possible that she was killed?"

"No."

"How do you know that for certain? Don't tell me that you can feel her lifeforce somehow?"

"Its not that. Its something else. I'm not quite sure about it myself, but I'd definitely know if she had indeed died."

"Fine, fine, so go rally the troops we march at dusk."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"HAI!"

Then Mugoi raced away from his new commander to gather the troops in preparation for the attack that they would be launching that night. Instead of wolves, the beast of choice were smilodons also known as the sabertooths or battlecats. But those weren't the only critters that the army had at their disposal. The General clone in Naruto's world had sent over more than ten thousand vampire bats, these little guys had their genes manipulated in such a way that they were smaller than they should have grown into.

Mugoi returned to Tamotsu, when all the troops were prepared to deploy.

"How are we to go about this Tamotsu-sama? What's our battle plan?"

"What do we have at our disposal?"

"Well we have around two thousand five hundred infantry, one thousand cavalry, that's both rider and battlecat, one hundred bat handlers each controlling one hundred bats, the blood sucking kind vicious things those are, ten assassins but they're over in the capital right now, the rest of the staff, me, and well you."

"You know I've never seen the city where all of you come from."

"You mean to say you've never gone over to visit it?"

"Never. Now back to the plan," Tamotsu said, "From some other information we our side has gathered, Tenshi are known as one of the more ruthless warriors on the battlefield. They are know to look like angels, but in reality make Tetsu soldiers look human."

Tamotsu then paused to gather his thoughts, and try and formulate a plan.

"Mugoi, will your people burst into flames should any of them sustain a mortal wound or something similar?"

"Yes, its standard proceedure for us."

"For you, yes its only you guys that experiece those things."

"Back to the plan commander?"

"One more question, are you still hiding our identity?"

"Yes sir."

"Alright, now I want half of the infantry to disguise themselves as soldiers from the other nations.."

"They've already done that."

"I see, well then, the disguised half will strike first, they are to charge into battle yelling like mad dogs that haven't had a bite to eat in a long while. I want the other half to get into the city and search all the structures for our missing princess.."

"Princess?"

"Yes princess. Now where was I," he said, "Ah yes. Next I want those battlecats to wait a few meters away from where the infantry will start their charge, they will serve as back up. And well you can have those bats of ours feast on the blood of the living."

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's it. With the troops that we have at our disposal, that's all I could come up with on such short notice."

"Right then. You give the orders commander."

Tamotsu walked over to the standing at attention army. Then turned to Mugoi.

"We are under the sea of sand, right?"

"Yes sir."

"How are we getting above ground?"

"Teleportation gates, sir."

"Oh," then he faced the men, "Move out!"

Once the entire army was above ground, Mugoi took charge.

"Form ranks!" which was what the clone army proceeded to do.

"Cats take the rear, take out any that get through our boys in black! Bats as soon as our boys meet the defenders you have permission to feast on the blood of the living!"

He then returned to Tamotsu's side.

"You're up, commander," he said.

Moving forward, Tamotsu faced his men, unsheathed his katana, then shouted the order, "CHARGE!"

The infantry raced off and did as they were supposed to. Their cries quickly alerting the city defenders to their approach, along with the rest of the city itself.

The battle was the first time that the clones had actually encountered some samurai, althought these weren't the bushido following people that Naruto was used to, they were samurai nonetheless. They were true masters of all their weapons. Who knew that these armor clad men were the defenders of the city. They were a wall of steel that the clones were unprepared for. They were also the first opponents that the clone had encountered that could faintly detect the clones that were sneaking into the city. They were unable to pursue the infiltrators due to the onslaught of the one thousand two hundred fifty clones that were attacking like a pack of mad dogs. The residents of the city took up arms, donned their armor, and went to defend their city from the invaders. Leaving their homes unprotected, well the only defenders that they left were the women and children, people who had no real way of defending themselves against the onslaught of the bats. Ten thousand bats descended upon the city like a plague, the drank as much as their little bodies could take, which was a lot more compared to their not genetically altered ancestors and cousins, none of their victims died, but the loss of blood had weakened them enough to get them to drop to the ground unconscious. This suited the infiltratos perfectly. They were able to search through all the buildings.

The only place that the attackers were unable to breach was the castle, and by extension, the royal clan compound, which was where Naruko was. Most did not join the battle due to their clan head and daimyou ordering them not to, while a small group would have been considered weak if it were found out that they did not enjoy battle as much as the rest of the populace. One of these individuals was the prince himself.

The ruling clan of Tenshi no Kuni was the Ichida clan, its head was Ichida Sadame, her husband was just not suited to ruling, and had been laid off. The name of the prince was Ichida Mori, and he had fallen in love with Naruko the moment he laid eyes on her. He spent several hours trying to woo her but to no avail, she seemed dead set against ever feeling anything for him. She even kicked him in the gonads when he got too close. The daimyou didn't bat an eyelash at that. To her women seemed superior to men in the sense that they didn't have a blatant weakspot.

Due to the chaos happening all over the rest of the city, Naruko was able to sneak her way out of the compound, but as she was about to make a break for it, someone grabbed her arm and spun her around.

The person that had grabbed her arm was none other than Mori.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded an answer.

"Just...out."

"Out?! Its chaos! The capital's being attacked by who knows who, and you decided to go out!" he shouted at her.

Instead of saying anything else, Naruko promptly kicked him in the balls, and walked away while he fell to the ground in agony.

"W-w-wait!" Mori managed to shout out.

"What?" she asked as she stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Where are you going?"

"Back."

"Where?"

"Away from this place, its worse than Sakura and Tetsu."

He managed to get back onto his feet, then he staggered over to her.

"You've been to Sakura and Tetsu?"

"And Nasu and Naiya."

"Amazing..but what do you mean its worse here than in those places?"

"It just is, but not on everything, just most things...why am I telling you this anyway?"

"I dunno...tell you what, if you stay, I promise I'll change how things are when I suceed my mother."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I don't approve of how my country is, there's a few of us actually. Please stay."

"I can't. I still have things to do."

"I figured as much, since you don't act like most of the girls in this country do. Mother knew that your story wasn't real."

"So what now?"

"Come back with me, please..?"

Before she could reply, the pair heard some rapidly approaching footsteps coming from the direction of the chaos. Three of the shinobi clones and five of the kunoichi clones had managed to get past the castle and made their way to the compound, intending to see if she was in there.

"Naruko-sama, thank kami we've found you," one of the kunoichi said.

"Step away from Naruko-sama Ichida-teme," one of the shinobi said.

"Mori-kun, how about you come with me instead?"

"What?! B-but, my mother, and the others? How can I change the country if I leave?"

Naruko had received information as to what Mugoi had told Tamotsu, through the nearly forgotten chakra link, which she noticed seemed to grow thinner, and smaller as time went by, but she didn't really pay it any mind.

"Otou-sama will bring about change, for all nine countries."

"Your otou-san?"

"Hai, so how about it? You can come with me if you wish."

"Naruko-sama there isn't much time, we're running out of time, it's almost dawn," one kunoichi said.

"You lot go ahead, I'll catch up," she told the clones, who did as she requested.

"Well..?" she asked him.

"I really can't leave..."

"Suit yourself," she said as she left.

Once Mori returned to where the rest of his group were situated at he was greeted by his mother, who was frowning. Apparently she had sent someone to follow him and make sure that he was not planning on joining the chaos in the rest of the city, but instead of finding him going to the city, her spy had found out that he was actually a traitor. Being her son, she would give him some time to tell his allies about his encounter and what he had learned. Her spy didn't stay long enough to hear Naruko mention her father, but the spy stayed long enough to hear about Mori's actual views and beliefs, which was why he returned to the daimyou to immediately inform her of such treachery. She suspected Naruko of being a kind of spy from the start, but there was no physical evidence to prove her guilt. But now that there was, the little bird had already managed to escape. Her son on the other hand was going to lead her to the other traitors, and once all of them had been found, there would be a public excecution.

Once Naruko finally got to the base she immediately went somewhere that she wouldn't be spotted doing what she planned on doing. Being a girl for too long had caused severe mental problems for her real self, problems that were about to be solved. Naruko created a clone, one of those clones that Naruto created, the kind that he created when he 'played god', but instead of someone else's soul, he shoved the part of him that had become Naruko. Naruto stood there watching the birth of Naruko, it wasn't like the usual clone creation process, or the regular 'playing god' type of clone creation process. It was creepier, for Naruto anyway, for it wasn't just a personality that he was implanting, or something like that. He was in a way splitting his very soul, and then mutating it in a certain way. His soul regenerated easily, as it didn't really lose anything, but creating the new soul was hard. Because he had to recreate his Naruko personality, that and add on to it, like create fake memories and the like. He then had to make her a helluvalot different from him, in many aspects. After an hour or two of waiting for his daughter to fully mature into the woman that Mori had fallen in love with, the process was complete. Naruko was no longer Naruto playing 'dress up', she was an actual person now.

He had a daughter, which was kinda weird. That was when he realized that he more or less had lots and lots of children. Not normal was normal for him, so he just accepted it, and didn't let it bother him.

'_I am greatly bothered by what Naruto has done, his playing god is even creepier than some of the things I've done...maybe the Being will give me counseling..._' Kyonshi thought to himself as he watched Naruto and analized the situation of his student.

Naruto used his clones connection to inform all his clones, ALL his clones about his daughter, cept for his daughter that actually thought of herself as an actual person with a real history and stuff, and those other clones that didn't really need to know.

Naruto and Naruko walked into cafeteria and made a beeline to where Tamotsu was sitting and eating some cereal with Mugoi.

"So, how's it been while I was away?" Naruto asked Mugoi.

"Good, bad, bad, good. Welcome back Rosuto-sama!"

"Welcome back Rosuto-sama, I'm sure Naruko has informed you about the plan that I excecuted. I really couldn't think of anything else."

"It was fine, some of my earlier plans were like that one."

"Oh, okay then, you know..coming from you that's really high praise."

"Your welcome, now before we continue with the pleasantries, I need to get down to business."

"Err, sure, you're the boss after all."

"I know who we need to break out."

"Seriously? That's great news!"

"Who are they and where are they Rosuto-sama?"

"Ichida Mori and his group of supporters."

"What?! But he's like royalty in these parts, why him?"

"He's like Sakura's former daimyou."

"I see, so when are we breaking them out?"

"When they're about to get excecuted for treason."

"What?! But excecution? Why?!"

"They were found out during the attack."

"That's not nice...so do we have any info as to when?"

"I'd estimate that Sadame will find all the rats by the end of the month, which gives us two weeks to prepare."

On the day of the excecution Naruto's kunoichi clones informed the base when the rats were being led to the chopping block. After getting the information Naruto used an AOE illusion to make the battlecats and the riders to look like rgular horsemen. Then they all rode off to rescue the rats. Naruko went with them, Tamotsu and Mugoi too.

Just as Mori was about to meet the shinigami he was grabbed by something, a hand had latched onto his body, he noticed around his some riders that were swiftly snatching his companions. Everthing happened in the span of a few short minutes. After the last rat was taken, chaos erupted in the city, everyone was frantically trying to stop the rescuers from getting away with the traitors, but to no avail. Naruto's battlecats were just too fast, and when they got to the sea of sand the just disappeared.

The next thing Mori knew, he was sitting on the floor of the base along with his allies. In front of them were their rescuers, but one of them caught his attention, Naruko. She was just standing there in her black kimono, beside Naruto who was wearing his special outfit complete with katana and kunai.

"W-who? W-wha? H-how?" Mori managed to stutter out even though he was till in shocked and surprised mode.

"Hello Mori-kun, aren'tcha glad we got you outta there?" Naruko asked.

"Yeah, of course...uh.."

"You wouldn't happen to want to go rebel on your country would you?" Tamotsu asked them.

"We were already labelled as rats, so yes, sure, why not," Mori said, the rest of his group nodded in agreement.

"Welcome aboard," then Naruto pointed at Tamotsu with his thumb, "Tomato over there's commander of theis base. Coz I'm leaving for Komugi no Kuni in a few minutes."

"Hey! It's Tamotsu not Tomato!"

"Anyways, one more thing before I go...Mori I am aware of your intentions, so if you hurt her...Shinigami will be the least of your problems."

After saying that Naruto walked into a shadow, in full view of all the people present.

"Mugoi, as much as I want to say 'you have some explaining to do' I won't, cause that was just plain creepy."

* * *

A second after walking into the shadow Naruto walked out of another shadow. He found himself in a wheat field, one that didn't look like it was doing so well, but a wheat field nonetheless.

'_That sure is a lotta wheat...only thing missing is the chocolate and the koala..._' Naruto mentally said.

_

* * *

To be continued..._

_

* * *

*please review if you liked my fic or just this chapter or whatever._

_*If you got something bad to say message me instead of posting it as a review._


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Note #1: Be prepared for another long one.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 13**

_Previously on Lost..._

_A second after walking into the shadow Naruto walked out of another shadow. He found himself in a wheat field, one that didn't look like it was doing so well, but a wheat field nonetheless._

_'_That sure is a lotta wheat...only thing missing is the chocolate and the koala..._' Naruto mentally said._

_*_

_*_

Naruto was just outside the capital of Komugi no Kuni, around him were acres upon acres of wheat fields, most of which had seen better days, they looked as if they had been allowed to grow and rot on their own. Naruto was half expecting to be jumped by some monster hiding in the wheat field, which none did, fortunately.

Before doing anything else Naruto created some Kage Bushin, and had them all scour the country side, or at least the area around the capital. Naruto wanted to know what the geography looked like, as well as the nature that the country had. He wanted to know if the country had any agricultural problems, but seeing all the wheat, he doubted that the country could have any food shortages.

Some of his clones poofed and sent him what they had found. Based on the results of the basic recon mission he had sent his clones on, there were a few small farms that littered the area around the capital, but there wasn't a single soul in any of them, be it human or animal.

Naruto then instructed the remaining clones to disguise themselves into mercenaries, and had them go into the capital by any means nescessary to find out the situation inside the city. Naruto had a feeling that there was something that really differentiated the country from the others of the nine.

Naruto still needed to find out what were the reasons as to why Komugi would choose to go to war, or choose to continue to go to war with the other nations. There had to be some reason, unless they just had nothing better to do with their time, which wasn't likely to be the case.

Naruto decided to do some scouting of his own and travelled across the land for around seven days. On the seventh day Naruto realized that although the country had some natural resources, had lots of fields worth of wheat and other agricultural plants, none of them seemed to be being used or cared for, at least the ones that Naruto had come across.

Naruto moved around within the country, hopping from shadow to shadow. In the other countries the reason as to why travel took such a short time, instead of what normally would be somewhat long journeys, was that Naruto used his ability to slightly manipulate time. This little ability made travel a whole lot faster. He estimated that if he did not use his ability, getting to where he was at the moment, or reaching the level of progress that he was at would have taken longer than one year and eight months. Due to this time manipulation Naruto had grown older than he was supposed to be, both physically and mentally, not that his mentality could really get any farther, he was already very mature.

The clones that had infiltrated the capital city had learned that it was more or less devoid of people. They had learned that most of the populace had opted to become soldiers and were all stationed along the border, they had taken their families with them. There had always been an overabundance of food in the country, practically more than enough to feed more than one country, so one of the country's past daimyou's had decided that he wanted to share the wealth, not exactly share, but conquer the other eight lands, then share the wealth. For the success of conquering all the lands, the daimyou offered high salaries for anyone that wished to join the army. This high salary was what attracted most of the country's farmers. Without farmers to tend to the crops, the crops were left to their own devices. A farmer and his family did not get much for their crops due to the overabundance of it. What crops were grown were grown by the border near all fighting. What farmers existed also were near the border. The excess from these farms were secretly sold on the black market to fund the war. The daimyou, his family, and a few nobles were the only ones left in the capital, which was defended by around ten samurai clans.

The clones found this out by pretending to have come from lands beyond the war, and were interested in the rather generous leader and his plans for his country. The daimyou, a rather vain individual, believing that his war that his ancestor started was still the right way to go, had explained everything to the clone.

Only the borders really saw much bloodshed, only the lands over in those parts were poisoned by the blood of hundred and thousands. But the rest of the land of the country still experienced or underwent some form of decay, this was due to nothing and nobody paying them any mind or importance. The daimyou did not enjoy wasted resources, so he had all measure of things done to the fields, most of these things allowed only preexisting crops to grow, but nothing new asides from weeds. The crops and the weeds sapped out the nutrients in the soil, which in some cases visibly showed the decay. The daimyou did not want to sell the wheat to the black market for more gold, due to the facvt that he knew that his country's crops would be used to feed the armies of his enemies.

Ever since almost all of the farmers had dropped their plows and taken up swords, the price for living had shot up in the country, further giving an importance to gold. Farmers were not given the gold of what they had grown, they were only given enough supplies to survive and continue providing for those that had gold. The high salaries of the soldiers were used to pay for their lives, and continued health of their families. Every generation of such a strange practice caused each generation to grow weaker for some reason, and the daimyou was too caught up in his crusade to spread the wealth to do anything about it.

With this dilemna at hand Naruto couldn't really think of anyway for him to manipulate the daimyou into forming an alliance with the other countries. If he attacked the border lands it wouldn't be any different from the other eight lands attacking, which was a very common occurrence. If he attack the wheat fields the daimyou wouldn't really care all that much. If he attacked the capital and didn't really take anything or anyone, that would catch the daimyou's attention, but attention that he didn't really want. If he somehow caused a strike to happen due to the high prices of commodities, or due to unavailability of food, the daimyou would just have those people killed and just raise salaries again.

Two weeks after arriving in Komugi no Kuni Naruto decided that wandering around wasn't doing him any good, so he built a base in the only barren wasteland in the country that he could find. For him it would take just a week to get to the capital, but any one else that wasn't on his side it would take at least a month. His distance from one of the borders, specifically the border to what would be his next destination was over three months away even for him, but to regular people, it would take twice as long or more to get there.

His base was built on cracked earth, possibly at one point in time it had been a lake bed, but due to the evidence of past existence of dead wheat fields it was a great possibility that the water was sucked up by all the plant life, and when the plant life had exhausted their water supply they too died.

Naruto really didn't have to worry much about the land around his base, he had a world's worth of food and other things, people included, well more like clones. He sent some clones out to see if there was anyone out in the rest of the country who was trying to make a living out of farming. If they found any they would be offered a much more meaningful life or existence, it was up to the clones how they would be recruited as long as they were recruited.

Then one day two weeks after the base was built, Naruto recalled that one of the officers in his armies was a former farmer of Komugi. He was the Flight Commander of Nasu's Dragon Corps, Kuraku Yuji. That person would be best suited to being in charge of the Komugi base, since he was more familiar with the country than Naruto was. No matter how many clones Naruto spammed, they would still not be able to compare to an actual native.

So he sent for some dragons, then had Yuji sent over as well. Once Yuji arrived on his dragon, Naruto informed him of the present situation, or lack thereof.

Even with the arrival of Yuji, and the successful recruitment of some other locals, Naruto still couldn't come up with anything. That was until he heard some of the farmers talking.

After seeing the dragons, looked upon them in awe, then they told one another, as well as some of the clones about the myths surrounding dragons that they knew of. Most of the myths were about how dragons would terrorize farms by burning crops then demand maiden as sacrifices in order for them to stop burning the fields. Seeing the dragons, the farmers believed that those myths were actually real, although the descriptions of the dragon in the stories were different from what Naruto's dragons looked like.

After hearing such things, Naruto remembered some of the things that he had learend and somehow not bothered to look over for ideas. His studies in mythology apparently would help him, sort of at least they would have if he had thought of his plan before hearing the farmers tell their tales.

When Yuji decided to ask Naruto about the dragons on behalf of the farmers, Naruto told him that they were the cousins of the native dragons of the lands that they lived in. Naruto said that his dragons were the descendents of one of Ryo-Wo's western cousins. When asked how he knew that, Naruto explained that he had met the Dragon King at one point in time. That little tidbit would in the future become known as one of the theories as to how Naruto lived for so long.

Naruto's plan consisted of having Yuji and the dragons terrorize the farms by burning the crops. This would cause the daimyou to have to form an alliance with Nasu who was aware of someone using the same dragons. But Naruto would not implement his plan until after he had gotten his toehold in the remaining three countries.

Naruto informed Yuji of his plan, and that he would contact him the moment that it was to be implemented. His focus for the time being would be to train any new recruits or soldiers send his way in how to handle the dragons. Kumogi and Nasu would be Naruto's dragon bases. He had thought of using SandFish in Tenshi ni Kuni, but decided not to due to the problems that they would cause for his army, that and it was a really bad idea.

One week later Yuji had under his command a flight of one hundred dragons and their riders. The other bases had sent over some people that were interested in riding dragons, or just flying. Dragons, though more tempermental than rocs, were easier to handle. Attacking from a dragon's back was also easier, especially with the special crossbows and their special bolts. Naruto's mage clones had managed to find a way to mass produce elemental crossbow bolts that could be used by regular human riders.

Naruto's forces in Naiya, Nasu, Tetsu, Sakura, Tenshi, and Kumogi were not doing anything other than training, they were ordered to prepare for the mass attacks that Naruto had planned for the future. Due to some of the things that Naruto's forces had done, the bases were able to recruit even more people. Some of them were even able to locate and convince some wandering, misplaced, and nomadic clans and families to join in.

Naruto, being satisfied with Yuji's progress decided tha it was time to leave Kumogi for the next country, Sakana no Kuni, a country where fish farms were supposed to be found almost everywhere, it was also a country with many lakes.

Naruto left the base by sinking into the soil outside the base. While he was slowly sinking into the earth, water started to flow out of the spot that he was going into. This water caused the cracked earth to moisten and become muddy. Once Naruto was fully submerged in the earth, the base had a moat surrounding it.

Yuji was left to wonder how he had done that, since he had never actually witnessed Naruto do something like that before. So he decided to contact the other bases and ask around. The only ones that had actually seen Naruto do something like that were Tamotsu's group and Tsukiko. Tamotsu witnessed Naruto walk into a shadow, while Tsukiko and Yoshiko experienced something like it when Naruto and them escaped the pit in Tetsu.

* * *

A few minutes after merging with the earth Naruto found himself shooting through the surface of one of the lakes that dotted the Sakana countryside. Why did he shoot through the surface when he could have just melded with the water or something like that. Simple, because for some reason, the water was just too polluted for him to want to merge with it. He floated on top of the lake surface and looked around. As far as normal eyes could see was water, murky black water, that smelled of waste and death.

As he walked on the water surface he noticed that there was something aside from dead fish floating in it. There were bodies, bodies of the dead. Naruto quickly recognized a mystery that needed to be solved.

'_Why are there so many corpses here? Why were they dumped here in stead of buried? What could have caused these people to have died?_' Naruto wondered.

All of the bodies that Naruto had encountered were the bodies of men and boys. There was not a single body of a woman in the water.

'_Maybe I've wondered into the country where the Amazons are in or have conquered or something..._' Naruto wondered again.

He quickly made his way to the shore of the lake, no longer having the ability to stomach the sight of so many dead.

On the shore of the lake there was a small fishing village, it wasn't as deserted as he expected it to be. After drying himself, he walked into the village to investigate the phenomenon of people willingly living in a place so close to so many deaths.

Instead of asking around, Naruto decided to observe the people from the safety of the rooftops, by transforming himself into a tabby cat.

One of the things he noticed was that there were a lot of cats, but most of them were sickly and of poor health, which was probably due to eating dead fish. The people, as Naruto observed looked just as sickly. Most of the populace were men, very few women could be seen walking around, the only ones that made their presence known in the village were old women.

Naruto observed a bit longer for roughly a whole week, until an event that shed some light as to why there were dead bodies in the water.

At the end of the week of Naruto's observation, a caravan from somewhere else in the country arrived with wagon loads of cadavers. Due to the bloating of the bodies in the water, Naruto failed to notice that all the bodies were actually of people that had died of poor health.

He walked over to where the bodies were being brought, then he watched and listened to what the people were saying. Naruto heard mutters or whispers of things being said.

"From the waters you came, now you return," were the things being said to the bodies as they were being thrown in the water.

After staying in the village for anoter week, Naruto pondered those words. He noticed while he was musing that the people ate fish, fish, and only fish, be they fish that were caught living, or plucked out of the water dead. It was no wonder so many were sick and diseased. Their source of sustenance was the polluted lake itself. Naruto needn't have wondered if that was the case with the rest of the country, since the wagon drivers looked like they suffered from sickness or poisoning themselves.

Naruto was able to figure out what the people meant by what they said. In some places it is believed that seafood, or in this case fish, causes more boys to be born than girls, therefore the dead men and boys were returned to where they came from, most likely deadl women and girls were the ones returned to the earth.

Naruto's next dilemna was that if there were so many men dying, how could the country afford to stay in a war that had lasted for centuries. Naruto needed to do more research, that is why he decided to leave the village and follow the caravan back to where it came from. Along the way Naruto noticed that there was a lack of any other animal life. It was entirely possible for the people to have exhausted their land fauna a long time ago which caused the animals to have all gone extinct in that part of the world. No new animals would go to the the country and willingly live in it due to the stench of death that the land and water had.

Since Naruto didn't know where the caravan was going, he could not use his time manipulation ability. The caravan took three months to get to where it was going, which was the capital of Sakana no Kuni.

It was a hustling and bustling city filled with life, sort of. The people that were walking around were all sickly. Naruto wondered if the daimyou was just as sickly as the rest of the population. He wasn't. The daimyou was a healthy individual, the other nobles were all healthy people. It seemed that long ago the ruling class of Sakana no Kuni had realized that the dead lakes were a source of death and not life, so they had been buying food from the black market and leaving the rest of the population to their healthlessness.

While walking around the city in his feline form Naruto was able to find and infiltrate the city's military facility, which not surprisingly surrounded the daimyou's castle and the compounds of the noble clans. They were the barrier between the commoners and the elite, they were the middle ground.

While Naruto did his little spy mission, he noticed that the soldiers also looked to be healthy, even though they were eating fish that obviously came from one of the dead lakes. Naruto wondered what it was that the men took that made them as healthy as a horse desptie their obvious food poison diet.

So Naruto decided to further look into things by creating kage bushins in feline form to scout out the rest of the military facility along side him. This spy operation, yielded much success after a few short hours.

Naruto's little operation discovered that Sakana no Kuni used a version of Hero Water to keep the troops healthy enough for battle, unlike Hero Water this version did not give inhuman strength and abilities, it just made the drinkers healthy no matter what they ate, but due to how much poison their bodies consumed the poison eventually overrode the effects of the water. After a soldier started to dsplay signs of unhealthiness, they were made to drink the water again. After having to drink the water nine times their bodies would grow slightly immune to the effects of the water, on the tenth time that the soldier drank the water or even before that they would find themselves in the cold embrace of death.

Naruto didn't need to know why the government didn't mind losing many people almost weekly to death and disease, because it was obvious to anyone with eyes and ears, the country was filled with people, the birth rate was just as high as te death rate. Naruto wanting to know what the exact statitics were looked for a records office or archives, and found out that the birth to death ratio was four to one. Four births for every death. Naruto realized that even though it was hghly possble for fish and seafood kinds of food to give the male gender a higher chance of being born, there was no way normal fish could also give rise to such a high birth rates. For one thing the deadly food wouldn't be able to give enough energy for anyone to go at it like rabbits, and second the food would also not give children the nutrients they needed to grow up and survive.

When Naruto thought of that last part, he realized that he had not actually seen one child in the whole time that he had spent in Sakana, none in the village, none in the other places that his three months of walking had passed by, and none in the city except for the children of the nobles. Where then were all the children.

The bodies of the young boys that he had seen in the lake were those of boys in their teen. There wasn't a single child floating around in some lake in the country. So where were all the children, that was something that Naruto would find out.

Naruto wouldn't be able to do any more investigating on his own, so he decided to build his base and get his army into the country, more people equals more chances of finding the missing children, it also means that solving the mystery of how there can be an over population with all the dead fish and polluted water lying around the countryside.

So Naruto plopped his base in the middle of a lake, he built it underwater by becoming the water, even though it was polluted it was a job that he just had to do. Becoming the water was better than having to go swimming. The base from the outside looked like a series of bubbles that littered the lake bed and were interconnected with one another with some tubes. Just to make his base fit, Naruto made the lake deeper and had to add a lot more water as to not show that it had gotten deeper and to hide his base of operations more.

Since his base was underwater he got to use his supercrocs. These crocs of his were all geetically altered in such a way that they were made to be stronger, faster, and able to eat literally anything. The acids in their guts could digest a diamond should they ever eat one. Somehow their guts could extract nutrients and the like from even that.

Once Naruto got his crocs, he set them loose into the lake to do clean up for him, he made sure that they left the surface of the lake alone, in order for it to retain the illusion that it was still filled with the dead. Once the water a few feet below the surface was cleaned up of rotting corpses and dead fish, Naruto created a magic based barrier that separated the lower half of the lake's water from the upper death filled half. In his side, Naruto imported some of his fish, so that the lake would have a bit more life in it.

Naruto's base finished construction one week after his arrival at the capital, his spy operation not even taking up the whole day. It took a whole week because, for one thing it was underwater, another thing was that it took the crocs some time to clean the water, and lastly when the base was completed Naruto still had to decided where things would go, it was a relatively big base after all. The lake, if one were to look at a cross section of it would see that it was shaped like an hour glass. Literally half of the water was dead, while the other half was filled with life.

From his new base of operations, his only base of operations in Sakana, which was located in the lake that he had first popped out of, he sent out squads of clones to search the entire country for the whereabouts of the children. Even with all the snooping, Naruto was unable to find hide nor hair of any of the children, or even any mothers or expecting mothers for that matter.

After a whole months of failure, Naruto decided that the situation called for some drastic measures, he would send out disguised clones to actually interview the populace, he knew that there was a big possibility that very few people would know where and what Naruto was looking for was located, but Naruto believed that there was a possibility that at least one clone would get a clue.

While his clones would be doing that, Naruto would be doing what he loved to do since Sakura no Kuni. He'd go visit the daimyou, or at least try to, that is if he could find an actual reason to.

'_Damn...I don't have a reason to go! I need a valid one else...nah wont think about that...maybe...nah don't need another daughter right now...a son would just be creepy in its own way...what to do...what to do..._' were the thoughts that were flowing through Naruto's mind.

After consulting with some kage bushin, which didn't help since those were exact replicas of him, he decided to just go with his gut feelings. So Naruto shadow walked his way back to the capital.

Instead of walking out of a shadow in the city proper, he walked out of a shadow inside the castle itself, unluckily for him it was in a locked closet. But just as he was about to go back into the shadow, the closet doors were opened, and his ears ended up ringing.

Next thing he knew it he was lying in a bed with some one leaning over him wiping nonexisting sweat of his brow. He realized that it was a girl, probably the one that had found him in the closet. She had a wide forhead, a small heart shaped face, a sharp chin, and curvaceous lips. She had green eyes, and suprisingly long bubblegum pink hair.

Naruto let his eyes travel up and down her body just to see what kind of figure she had, being in a somewhat delusional state, Naruto allowed his sight to be that of the wind, so that he could see beyond her clothes and what they were hiding. A few seconds of peeping later, Naruto had a nosebleed, which was noticed by the girl, who immediately thought that he was even more sick, health wise, and made him take some awfully tasting medicine. She then said somethings to make him feel at ease, or at least tried to.

Naruto had subconsciously altered his appearance, he made himself look younger, probably as young as the girl or rather young woman that was tending to him. If Naruko was his female tribute to his kind of kitsune past, his current form was the male version, complete with ebony black hair.

* * *

Later that same day, Naruto decided that being treated like a sick person was just too much for him. Enough was enough, so he got out of bed, but before he could take one step, he was tackled by the young woman that was trying her best to make him healthy, which wasn't really needed since it was nearly impossible for Naruto to get sick, poisoned, drugged, or even drunk. They ended up lying on the bed, with the girl on top of him.

Naruto decided then and there that he would 'play god' and make himself a son, just like Naruko, except the process would be taken out of time since Naruto more or less knew how to do it in real time. So that's how it was, Naruto slipped into the shadows, and left his son to do all the work.

'_I hope this works..._' he thought, as went back to base.

His made up plan had better work, cause he really didn't want to have to make another one, just to kidnap someone from the castle like he was originally going to do.

Back with the two people in bed.

"Uh..." the girl couldn't think of anything to say once she noticed the position she was in.

"Eh..." Naruto's son said, "Uhm...c-could you please get off me?"

Realizing the compromising position she was in, she quickly got off of him.

"Y-you shouldn't get out of bed! You're not well! What kind of a person hides in a closet anyway?"

"What kind of person assumes that someone else is sick for just being in a closet?"

"You collapsed, what else was I supposed to think? Hmm?"

"Ah...eh...I dunno."

"See, so its not my fault that I thought that you were sick. What kind of a person hides in a closet anyway?"

"Well, not me. It was an accident really. Otou-sama, was trying to send me to the daimyou's courtroom, but I guess he misjudged the distance or something."

"Huh? How?"

"Oh, magic of course! Don't you know what that is?"

"Of course I know what magic is, its a bunch of tricks and illusions, but I guess that would explain how you got into my closet. Why were you supposed to speak to the daimyou anyway?"

"Otou-sama wanted me to ask him where all the children were, he hasn't seen any in the country."

"Oh, you're not from here are you? So where are you from? Naiya? Nasu? Sakura? Tenshi? Where?" she asked him excitedly.

"Uhm...you wouldn't have heard of the place. Otou-sama has been traveling the nine lands looking for somewhere to settle in, or something like that."

"Oh, you still haven't answered my question. Where are you from?"

"Hi no Kuni. Its quite far from here."

"I've never heard of it. So you've been in more places that the nine? That's wonderful! Can you tell me anything about the other countries? Please? The only thing I know is that there's a war."

"Sure, but um, can you tell me where all the children are?"

"Tell me first, then you'll find out."

Alright, alright, you know you sound like Otou-sama's sensei."

"Huh? How's that?"

"He used to tell him things, and leave some parts out, but when otou-sama asked him what those things are, he always said that he'd tell otou-sama when he died, and asked him if he wanted to find out."

"Oh, well I'm not threatening to kill you you know."

"Yeah, uhm, are you just going to stand there?"

"No," she said, then she sat down beside him on the bed.

"I don't really want to ruin your mood or anything, but I've really not seen very nice things from the other countries. Naiya works very closely with the slave trade, Nasu does that too, Tetsu, well Tetsu is not somewhere I want to be in again the way it is now, that country is far too barbaric and cannibalistic for my tastes. Sakura is the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life, its countryside is filled with sakura trees, but in its underbelly lies a monster of hate and torture. Tenshi's people literally look like tenshi, but on the otherhand they are devils in disguise. While Komugi is very wasteful of its natural resources and of its people."

"That's really bad. Do you know anything about the resistance movements in the country? I've heard a bit about them, but nothing really in depth."

"I know about them, why?"

"Cause even though I'm supposed to marry the daimyou, I'm a member of Sakana no Kuni's rebel forces. I'm a spy. Aren't you glad you met me?"

Shock and surprise literally make themselves known on his face, afterwhich, he realized that he was caught in a trap. Either the girl with him really was a member of some rebel organization, or she was trying to see if he was and was going to report him to her fiance. So just like his father, he went with what his instincts were telling him to do.

"Hehe, well I'm not a part of any rebel organization like you are."

"I'm not going to tell anyone if you are. C'mon, tell me the truth please? I know you wont tell anyone what I just said, cause if you do its the chopping block for you."

"I'm really not part of a rebel group. That's the honest to goodness truth."

"Aw, and I thought I wasn't alone in here..."

"Alone? What do you mean alone?"

"I thought you were a spy too, and were trying to find some information or something. You know I really do know where those children you want to know about are."

"No matter what you say, it wont change the fact that I'm not part of any rebel group."

"Then what are you!?"

"No need to shout."

"Well..."

"Fine, fine...I'm Rosuto Naruto, son of Rosuto Juushu. Otou-sama really wants me to find those kids, to see if they are being mistreated in any fashion. If they are, well, I'm sure you've at least heard of the events in the other countries."

"W-wha?! No way! You'r tou-san's the guy behind all of that?!"

"Y-yeah...why's it so surprising?"

"It's just that the people I work with have been trying to contact him. We really could use your help, and I really don't want to have to marry the daimyou. You see, originally I was supposed to seduce the daimyou, who practices polygamy, and get him to make a healthier health plan, for the country, like stop his war."

"Why is Sakana at war with the other lands anyway?"

"We've got far too many people as it is, the war has been going on for centuries since we've needed more land to put everyone in."

"So, about those kids?"  
"Oh, right, well there's this big lake, that's got an island in the middle of it. Its a human breeding facility, all healthy women are brought there, and well, the country has been making babies like rabbit for the longest time. Everyone there is treated as cattle. After a woman pops out a baby she is forced into making a new one. Their given the best medical treatments and stuff that the country can provide, but all the people there are treated like animals. Most of the soldiers that the country has is made up of people from that facility and a few other scattered all over Sakana."

"So is everyone trained from birth to follow some sort of religion or principal belief or something?"

"Well, from an early age, we are taught that men come from the waters, and there they shall return. Which is why men aren't buried in the earth but left in the lakes. While women are creatures of the earth, and therefore are buried in the earth. But I have a suspicion that some officials and nobles have sold the bodies to Tetsu."

"That's a lot of information. You've given me."

"Yes, well, you're part of the group that's planning to liberate the nine lands, aren't you?"

"How's you know about that?!"

"People talk, and its kind of logical with the way things have been going on lately."

"So, what now?"

"Now? You get out of here and tell that tou-san of your's."

"No need. He already knows."

"HOW?! I just told you."

"Ever heard of magic?"

"You said that already."

"Well its not that, Otou-sama is telepathic."

"What does that mean?"

"He can read minds."

"Oh."

"So why didn't he just do that with the daimyou?"

"Its complicated."

"Oh, so, now what?" she asked.

"Well, seeing as you don't want to be left in here, I could take you with me when I leave," he suggested.

"If you do that, the daimyou will know that there's a rebel movement. It might endanger my friends."

"Nothing's easy nowadays is it, well then I guess I'll just have to come back for you later" he said as he stoofd up and walked back to the closet.

"Wait!" she said, "I haven't told you my name yet."

"I thought you didn't want me to know your name."

"My name is Musha Emiko, my older brother is the head of the rebels."

"It was nice to meet you Emiko-chan," he said as he walked into the shadow, literally like father like son.

He exited from the shadow of his father. Who was standing in front of one hundred crocs, and two hundred clones in scuba gear.

"So, you've given me a name, and taken mine, hmm."

"Hai, otou-sama, you need one. Plus out clan name can be Juushuu if you want. Ya'know, so it stands out and stuff."

"Fine. From now on I am Rosuto Juushu of the Juushu clan." Naruto, the original one, announced both verbally and to ALL his clones, and those clones that had become real people had lost the connection, the other clones would have to inform them.

"So, what's the plan, otou-sama?"

"Naval warfare," Juushu said then daced his naval force, "Prepare the ballistas, mount them on the crocs, and prepare to move out."

"HAI!" the army shouted, the crocs bellowed in affirmation.

By the end of the day, the same day that the son was 'born', Naruto's army had made its way, via the water, to the lake surrounding the breeding facility, the one closest to the capital, the main one.

He stood on top of the snout of one of the crocs that was peaking just barely out of the surface of the lake. Being unable to find any real weaknessess, as well as not knowing if attacking the walls would be a good thing Naruto's sight became the wind's sight, and he saw that there was nothing in the building, but he notice something unusual, on the shore there were wagon tracks leading away from the lake. There also appeared to have been a battle that had occurred possibly the day before.

It looked as if the information that Emiko had given to Naruto was a bit flawed, in the sense that she didn't know that her organization planned on attacking the facility or had attacked the facility.

Juushu, then had Naruto fetch his girlfriend from the castle.

"Go, fetch that girl of yours, we need more info."

"Hai," was the response.

A few minutes later an explosion was seen and heard. Juushu looked in the direction of the capital and saw that a large cloud of smoke was rising into the sky.

'_That idiot! Maybe I shouldn't have given him so much of my prankster side!_' Juushuu regreted.

"All of you, return to base, immediately!" Juushu shouted to his troops.

"I'll wait for that idiot."

"Hai!" they all said, then using their teleportation devices all left, as they arrived at base the devices disintegrated since they were all just a one time thing.

A few minutes later Juushu could hear the footsteps of a person running on water, while at the same time he could also hear the scream of a young women. Looking back at the direction of the capital, he saw his son Naruto carrying said young woman in his arms. A few seconds later he was splashed in the face with some of the polluted water.

"Otou-sama! I'm back! I got her too! So..now what?" he said while he adjusted his hold on the girl who had just moments ago fainted.

"We go back to base..then you tell me exactly what you did to the capital."

"Hai...gomen tou-san."

"Let's go," Juushu said as he walked into the rays of the setting sun, Naruto following after him.

When they got back to base Juushu led Naruto to their sleeping quarters so that Naruto could put Emiko in a bed for her to lie in instead of in his arms.

"So...otou-sama, why are we sharing a room?"

"So that you don't do anything that I will regret."

"Wha?! But I'll be the one doing the deed, not that I'll actually do the deed, but..."

"Naruto."

"Hai?"

"Shut up. You can have the other bed."

"Arigato tou-san, but where are you going to sleep?"

"..."

"Otou-sama?" Naruto said, then he noticed that his father had already fallen asleep while leaning against the wall.

"Whoa...he fell asleep on the wall...might as well get some rest as well...I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be very hectic," he said as he lay down on the other bed in the room, leaving his father sleeping against a wall.

Dawn the next day, Naruto woke up to the sight of his father no longer being in the room and Emiko sleeping in his bed. But before he could leave the bed, the door to the room openned to reveal Juushu.

"So I take it you slept well, considering that she transferred to your bed half way through the night."

"This is isn't what it looks like tou-san, I swear!"

"If you say so, so when we meet her brother I'll tel him you raped his sister in her sleep."

"But I said that this isn't what it looks like!"

"What it looks like is that she is sleeping with her clothes on, and you with your clothes on."

"Oh. Then we'll stick to what it looks like then."

"Wake her up, and change your clothes, the both of you. I need you in scuba gear, and her at least in a wet suit. Got it?" Juushu asked.

"Hai," Naruto, his son, answered.

"Good. I'll meet you at the supercroc enclousure," Juushu said as he left the room.

Naruto got out of bed and tried to shake Emiko awake, to no avail, the girl just wouldn't wake up. So he decided to use a different tactic, he spat out a stream of cold water on her. That got her to immediately wake up.

"T-t-that w-w-was c-c-cold."

"Here's a towel," Naruto threw her a towel which landed on her head, "The shower's in the room over there, I'll put out something for you to wear, then we'll both go to where otou-sama is."

"O-ok. Uhm...Naruto-kun?"

"Hai, Emiko-chan?"

"Where am I?"

"Right now, you're in me and otou-sama's room. We're in our Sakana base of operations found at the bottom of one of Sakana's lakes."

"We're underwater? Sugoi!"

"Go take a shower and change already. I think otou-sama wants us there fast."

"Hai...ano...can you um..help me...I don't know how to use the shower here...that is...I don't know what a shower is..."

"Ahh...uh...sure, just don't tell your brother...otou-sama already warned me..."

"H-hai!"

When the duo finally made their way to where Juushu was, the saw neither hide nor hair of him. But they did see the over one hundred crocs that littered the place, while the staff were running around flinging all sorts of things at them. It was feeding pandemonium in there. There were a few divers on the side lounging around eating breakfast. But there was no Juushu.

"Hey! What are you two standing around there for?" called out one of the divers, "Get over here and have some grub!"

So the duo went over to them and grabbed some food and they too watched the feeding frenzy, not that any of the feeders were in any real danger.

"So, have any of you see otou-sama?" Naruto asked them.

"Nope, haven't seen him yet. But we were told to get here all suited and ready to go at a moment's notice. How bout you two? He tell you anything?" one of the divers said.

"Nah, he just told us to get dressed, and get over here quick."

"Get dressed?! You mean the two of you..were caught by him?!" another diver said.

"Hey, cool down, Naruto-sama is Juushu-sama's son, its ok. So chill," another one of the divers said.

The pandemonium of the feeding frenzy suddenly stopped as the crocs sensed the presence of a frightening predator. The clones that were feeding them cleaned up the uneaten food then walked off. While the divers all stood at attention, Naruto doing the same thing.

"Emiko," Naruto whispered, "Stand up, otou-sama is coming."

"Hai," she whispered back before standing up, not used to the wet suit.

Once Juushu stood infront of the assembled divers and crocs, he started to give out his orders.

"We shall commence the rescue mission in a few hours. I've sent for reinforcements, which will be arriving shortly. Information has just reached us that Musha Toru is being held in a holding facility that is located near one of the country's breeding facilities. Mucha Toru is the leader of Sakana's only rebel organization, and I intend to recruit him. You're job is to get him and all innocents out of those facilities. Once you return here, we will follow standard operating proceedures. The coordinates for the facilities have already be inputed into the teleportation gates, they are all primed and ready for use. Level the facilities and get all the good guys out. Sakana's nobility know that there will be a rescue operation, but they do not know by who. Is that understood?"

"HAI!" all the divers answered, while the crocs bellowed that they did too.

"Naruto, Emiko stay, everyone else, MOVE OUT!"

The army personnel burst into motion, a number of the staff were fitting the armor of the crocs on, while the divers all checked their gear. The teleportation team, which was made up of mage clones in scuba gear were preparing the teleportation rods that would be used to form the temporary teleportation gate. Once the crocs had their armor on, they were each fitted with a ballista. Its bolts were also strapped onto the crocs' backs. Each croc was given a diamond to eat to give them an energy boost. Once all the men, women, and crocs were prepared they made their way to the gates, ready for battle.

"Naruto, Emiko, I'm leaving you two in charge of welcoming the new arrivals."

"Hai," the two answered.

"Make sure to give a positive first impression. You will be the commanding officers in my absence."

"Otou-sama, where will you be going?"

"I will be looking for someone in the capital. You fouled up but weren't caught due to this person. His name is Tabou Tama, a descendant of the bastard line of the royal clan."

"Oh. So is he going to be your commander for this base?"

"No. I shall be leaving you here to be one of three leaders, and shall be taking Tama with me to Nairan no Kuni."

"Who will be the other two?" Naruto asked.

"Musha Emiko and Musha Toru."

After saying that Juushu transformed before their eyes into a little girl that resembled his Oiroke no Jutsu form wearing a light pink kimono, then burst into butterflies, which disappeared almost as soon as they had disappeared.

"Your otou-sama, can really do magic."

"Yeah. So let's get to the gate room."

"Okay. I'm used to greeting people since Onii-san taught me how and stuff, Onee-san too."

"Onee-san?"

"Uhm, Onii-san's wife, my sister-in-law, she's the daughter of the third son of the youngest brother of the daimyou. The daimyou's younger brother is also in the rebel organization, he's our backer, I hope he didn't get caught."

"Oh, so that why that guy didn't care when I said I was going to kidnap you."

"Yup."

Juushu had reached the place where he was to meet up with Tama. He, in chibi-female form, walked up to him. His brown hair reached his upper back and was tied in a loose ponytail. He appeared sickly, but he had been able to take out a few soldiers all on his own. He was actually a pretty good theif that had been stealing food from the nobles. He was one of those rare cases of people that were born outside of the controlled breeding facilities. He had a pair of kind eyes that looked fondly at the little girl that had walked up to him.

"Onii-san, there was an onii-san that said to tell you that he wanted to thank you for stalling for another onii-san."

"Thank you for telling me, can you show me where he was?"Tama asked the little girl.

"Hai," the little girl answered enthusiastically, then led him to a shaded area.

"So where is this other onii-san now?"

In the blink of an eye the little girl had vanished only to be replaced by Juushu.

"Right here."

"You! Where'd you come from? Where's the little girl?"

"That isn't important right now. I'm pressed for time as it is. The short of it is that I need your help in establishing a base in Nairan no Kuni. As well as command it while I go to the last of the nine to establish another base there. So are you willing to come help me cause some chaos?" Juushu asked.

"I see. I've heard of your exploits in the other countries. They're onto you, I've heard talk that Sakana might ally with the rest to be rid of you. But they'll only band together if Nairan and Sekihin are bothered by you."

"I know. So how about it? Will you join me?"

"If you can convince Musha Toru to join you, I will join you."

"Come with me then, to my underwater base. He is being rescued as we speak."

The seek, rescue, and destroy mission was a complete success. The only thing that had yet to happen was for Musha Toru to join Juushu's group.

Upon seeing Juushu with Tama in tow, Toru moved toward him.

"So are you really the head of this whole operation?" Toru asked.

"I am."

"And you want me to head your base here with my sister and that guy who calls himself your son?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"You want to solve the country's problems. So do I. Since I need to go to some other places. I need people who are aware of the situation to lead my armies to victory. I also need people worthy of my trust. And for you to get arrested and subjected to the things that you were. I am willing to place my trust in you. My instincts have rarely, if ever, been wrong."

"If you say so," Toru then faced his sister and gave her a thumbs up, then faced Juushu, "I'm in."

The two then shook each other's hands. That was it.

"So, Tama? He's one of mine now. Are you?" Juushu asked Tama once Toru returned to his sister's side.

"I'm your man."

"Good. No time to waste. Let's go."

"Go? Now? How? We just got here. We have to rest for the jouney ahead. It'll take at least half a year to reach the border, then another half year to reach the twin capitals of the Land of Civil Wars."

"No problem, I'll get us there today."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"You'll see. All you have to do is trust me," Juushu said as he walked away heading for one of the crocs that had made it's way back into the gate room.

"Hey! You still haven't explained how we got here!"

"Just follow me so we can get to Nairan already!" Juushu shouted as he was swallowed whole by the croc.

"He was just eaten by that thing!!" Tama shouted.

"Dear Kami! Someone save him!" Toru shouted.

"This can't be happening!" Emiko shouted.

"Toru, just follow him already. He's probably wondering why you're still here," Naruto said.

"What?!" the three others shouted. While the other people in the room just stared at them, these other people being clones.

"What do you mean follow him? I'm going to die too if that thing eats me!" Tama shouted at Naruto.

"How can you act so indifferent, your father just got eaten alive by that thing!" Emiko shouted at Naruto.

"By your reaction, I'd say that this is a normal thing...isn't it Naruto?" Toru asked.

"Yep, he's been doing stunts like that often. The first one was when he walked into a shadow. Being eaten by one of the crocs isn't something to worry about."

"So, how am I going to go about this?" Tama asked, "I'm not him."

"Simple..." Naruto said, the second after that Tama found himself screaming while the croc ate swollowed him alive.

"So...who's up for lunch?" Naruto asked like there was nothing wrong in the world, like he had not just somehow fed Tama to a croc.

"Y-y-you monster!" Toru and Emiko shouted while they pointed at Naruto.

"Hey big guy," Naruto spoke to the croc, "Pick up those two and bring 'em to the mess hall, the human one not yours, kay?"

To which the croc bobbed its head up and down then made its way over to the two frightened siblings, opened its jaw and bit them in a gentle way then dragged their unconscious carcases to the mess hall.

'_Hehe...nice..._'

* * *

The next thing Tama realized was that he wasn't being swallowed by some large thing, he'd never seen a crocodile in his life, but being eaten alive by something that had many little knifes for teeth was not on his 'to do list' in life. Instead of finding himself in the gut of some large semi-aquatic animal, he found himself falling from a great height, it looked like he had just popped up in the sky and was falling at supposedly breakneck speeds back to earth. He prayed to all the Kami that he knew of and some that were so just made up that they didn't even exist. He saw his rather short life pass before his very eyes, he even saw the weird man in black eating popcorn in his office watching him as he fell. When he decided to turn around and face his doom like a man, his fall had ended, and he found himself screaming his head off like a banshee beside Juushu who was sticking his fingers in his ears to block out the dreadful sound.

"Are you done yet?" Juushu asked having become fed up with all the screaming.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" was the reply.

So Juushu slammed his fist onto Tama's head silencing him instantly.

"Thank you, I think I needed that," Tama said once he had composed himself.

"Your welcome, next time just jump right in. Those things wont kill you, unless I want them to."

"That's very reasurring. Your son is crazy by the way. I don't know how he did it."

"I know. I'm his father after all."

"So...uhm...now what?"

"Now we lounge around until someone finds us. Personally I think that this whole civil war bit is just a fight between two brothers that escalated and included the entire country, and the only reason as to why the country is at war with the other countries is that the country just wants to be left alone and destroy itself from the inside," Juushu pondered aloud.

"Err....you hit the nail right on the head there Juushu-sama."

"Figures...so....it really is basically just a country suffering from an internal and an external war. Which makes most of the populace the suffering people that we are to save, and due to their numbers, we can't possibly take them all in."

"Wow, you assessed the situation quite fast, I thought that it would have taken us a week or something."

"Well our base of operation here in Nairan no Kuni will take the rest of the week to complete. Once that has been done, I am going to have my army kidnap some people. One of them being the bastard grandchild of the double daimyous."

"What will that accomplish, sir?"

"Oh, that will accomplish my acquisition of another commander for the last base of operations. The kid is actually a friend of mine, I accidentally met him, while I was searching for Toru. He actually looks like Toru, average height, medium build, brown hair, wears purple shirts and grey pants most of the time, does not dress traditionally like most of the other people I've met, one example being you who is wearing a kimono and hakama combination. The only difference between Toru and this grandchild of the double daimyous in that his eyes are well...Toru has green eyes...while this kid's got one red eye and one white eye."

"So what's the kid's name?"

"Noufu Kira is his name. I rolled time back a bit for myself so that I could get to know him a little bit better and gain his trust. So don't be surprised if he calls me uncle."

"Y-you can roll back time?"

"You know you don't really need to believe me, but since you are working for and with me, you might want to keep an open mind."

"I....fine....what ever! The sky is pink! The oceans are orange! That bird is black, and that zombie is blue!" Tama did a double take, then pointed a shaking finger at the zombie, "ZOMBIE!!! KILL IT JUUSHU!! KILL IT!!!"

"Hello Zombie-san!" Juushu said as he waved and the zombie waved back, "Do you have a message from sensei?"

It nodded its head slowly.

"What did he want you to tell me?"

"Kyonshi-kami-sama says you take too long...get on with lesson already..." the zombie said.

"Anything else zombie-san?"

"You have popcorn....Kyonshi-kami-sama no have coz of dat guy," the zombie said and pointed at Tama.

"Sure," Juushu then took out a scroll and handed it to the zombie, which after receiving the scroll bowed and turned to ash, "Well?"

"OKAA-SAMA!!!!!" Tama screamed his lungs out.

"Don't scream so loud, you're lungs might fly out," Juushu then saw something fly out of Tama's mouth, "Too late, there they go!"

Tama blinked twice not knowing how he was still alive, and how that had happened. His lungs really did fly out of his mouth.

"Now Tama, if you want your lungs back, you have to promise me that you wont scream or attract attention to yourself, ok?," Juushu asked, "Just nod if you understand."

Tama nodded.

"Now promise," Juushu instructed, "Just nod your head if you promise not to attract attention to yourself."

Tama nodded again.

"That was so scary Juushu-sama...so..so..so scary..." Tama said almost in tears.

"If you start crying your eyeballs'll pop out."

That stopped Tama from showing anymore emotion.

"Tama, just follow me. We're going to look for somewhere to construct the base. Okay?" Juushu said.

"..."

"Well?"

"Nothing else if gonna fly off, right?" Tama asked.

"Depends. Just follow me around. Don't worry, no one will see us."

"If you say so."

"I do, now come on."

The two men walked around the almost desolate countryside. There were trees, some animals, some more trees, a few rottng corpses that the two decided to bury then more on, more trees, a battle, a camp site, an orange book that looked out of place, some more trees, then after five days of searching, the two men were back at the spot that they had arrived.

"This is the perfect, spot. Its got the space, the farness from civilization. The lack of any one who can find us. Its perfect. What do you think Tama?"

"You know what I think? I think you're really bored and just want me to go insane. That's what I think. So listen, just build the base, send out some recruiters, find that kid of yours, then go to Sekihin no Kuni. I have a feeling that you really want to go to war with the nine lands. I know I do. I know that you've got more than enough troops to take on all nine at the same time. So just go piss off the nineth country. Just go get that kid so that we can start this thing."

"You really want me to say that if you continue saying what you're saying your arms will fall off, don't you?"

"N-n-no. Its just that the only way to help this country is to go to war with it and stop the senseless fighting already. I know that the people of this country are sick of all the fighting. The common people of the other countries are just waiting for you to give the go signal for the major attacks to happen. I'm with you. So, go do your thing. I'll relay the message."

"If you say so. Don't screw up Tama."

After Juushu said that, he walked into the winds, and found himself in the room of his 'nephew'.

"Hey gaki. How ya been?" Juushu asked him.

"Alright uncle. So when are we leaving? You know all this war is getting pretty tiring, and my friends in Sekihin are waiting for us to get there."

"I know Kira, I know. Its been more than two years already. We'll just pass by Tama, he's the guy I'm leaving in charge here. I still need to get a base for him set up."

"If you say so uncle."

Juushu then put a hand on Kira's shoulder and they shimmered to the spot where he had left Tama. Tama was just sitting on a nearby log waiting for him to return.

Juushu upon arrival formed his temporary gate, then he informed the General clone on the otherside to send out ten thousand clones. Along with five thousand cavalry, horses this time. He also ordered the General to send out to the rest of the bases reinforcements as well as at least a thousand of the othere creatures to all bases. It was nearly time for Juushu to claim the nine lands. It was taking too long. It was a good thing that the remaining two lands were simpler than the other seven, else Juushu's campaign would start during the thousandth year anniversary of the war of the nine lands, and not end with it.

Juushu also had the General clone inform Yuji to commence the plan for Komugi no Kuni. Yuji was tasked with burning the crops using the dragons, in full view of the Komugi military.

Once all the clones had made their presence known, Juushu used one of his seldom used powers to just create the base. His imagination did wonders. The thing ended up looking like a walled castle town.

"Tama, once you've got enough troops, I want you to start harrassing the locals. Make sure that they know its not just some rebel group. I want the war to end exactly on the day of the thousandth anniversary. Got it?"

"Hai!"

"Let's go Kira."

* * *

Juushu said as he led Kira into a dense fog that had appeared out of nowhere. The duo exited on a grassy plain. It was just outside the capital of Sekihin no Kuni. The land was suffering from poverty, extreme poverty. The only ones that didn't appear to suffer were the soldiers in the army and the nobility. The country had a small revolutionary group that was led by Kira, that began around five years prior. Kira was five at the time, but he was already very charismatic, little did anyone know that even at that time he was already working for and with Juushu. Due to traveling backwards through time, Juushu had already set up his toe hold in Sekihin, he had also managed to recruit some troops from the common citizens, as well as from the nobility, even some of the royals wanted change to occur. Through Kira they had chosen Juushu to lead them into a new age of peace. Kira had promised the people of Sekihin no Kuni a thousand years of peace. All they had to do was side with him, and his uncle. All the members of Juushu's Sekihin group had met with Kira. They all knew him and trusted him.

On the day that Juushu had arrived with Kira, would be the start of Juushu's campaign. He planned to have the nine lands attack his fortress city, which had come to be known as Juushu Oujou, while he personally went to the capitals of the nine lands and slew their daimyous. All those greedy and selfish people would then be judged by the people that they had oppressed. Some of the people would have to be reeducated and reintroduced into society, some ancient beliefs would have to be eradicated, but that was progress. If peace was to be obtained, then the people would have to accept progress. Juushu promised a thousand years of peace. He would not break that promise.

"So, Kira, where do you want your base?" Juushu asked his second favorite commander.

"I want it one month's trek north of our position."

"You got it gaki."

Suddenly the two of them found themselves at precisely that location. Around the spot that they had appeared at, there were dozens of tents that littered the grassy ground.

"You had them prepare in advance I see."

"I did. Its better this way, no? We get to start right away, get the ball rolling and all that."

"Above ground, underground, or like Tama?"

"Like Tama."

Juushu focused his energies into the land around him. With a rather large audience around him, he had to make a very impressive first impression. An aura grew visible around his form, first blue, then gold, then rainbow, then nothing. But it was during the nothing that the people around him could feel a weight so heavy that some found it difficult to move, and some had difficulty standing. Infron of them and around them a city started to take form. Wooden houses started to emerge from the ground. In the center of it all, a castle arose. Higher and higher the castle went, until it was seven storys tall. There was only one wall, and it wasaround the castle keep. The city was open and welcoming to anyone who wished to join it.

"Uncle, the troops?" Kira asked.

"They're already in the keep, awaiting your orders."

"Arigato, uncle."

"Don't do anything until I give the go ahead."

"Hai."

Juushu then walks away, just walks, no melting into the shadows, no becoming the wind, melting into the earth, no bursting into butterflies, nothing special. Because, what could top creating something out of seemingly nothing.

After Juushu vanished from the sight of the last person at the base a man casually walked up to Kira.

"That was your uncle?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"No...its just that we expected him to like vanish into the wind or something like that.."

"After seeing him create this city for us to use as our base of operations, you expected him to do something like that?"

"Well, it would have been really cool."

"I suppose."

"So...when do things start to heat up for us Kira-sama?"

"As soon as he gives the go signal. Find everyone a home or something. I'm going to the castle and finding myself a room on the first floor."

"But, you're our commander, the top floor should go to you."

"Fine. I'll take the top, and one room at the bottom. I hate heights."

* * *

While Juushu was walking, he opened up a telepathic channel that connected him to all his commanders, both clone and human.

"_After all preparations are complete, you are free to commence. I'm giving everyone the green light. I repeat, I'm giving everyone the green light_" Juushu said over he metal link.

Then he opened a mental link with Touken, Hyakume, and Dorotabo.

"_You guys can go home now. I've got everything under control here. Just call me if you need me or something._"

After saying that, he felt his three friends transcend through the boundaries between world and went back home to report to Kyonshi and watch Juushu's progrees.

'_I really hope they can get those armies to attack home..._' Juushu thought as he continued his time warping trek back to Juushu Oujou.

_

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To be continued..._

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Please review if you enjoyed it...thank you for reading..._

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if you have something not nice to say just mail me instead of placing it in a review. _

_Constructive criticism is welcome..._

_one last thing...sorry I rushed it a bit, I was running out of ideas..._


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 14**

_Previously with Jiraiya..._

_There was just something about junk food that gave them the creeps. _

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* * *

Two whole years had passed since Jiraiya and Naruto had first set out on their journey. Two years since master and apprentice had left the gates and the security of their home. Two years since they had been travelling the lands together, at least that would be the case if they were actually still together. But the truth is so far from the dream, Jiraiya had yet to find Naruto.

Naruto was the epitome of unpredictability, or surpises, of pranks, and all that jazz. During his quest to find his student, Jiraiya had found himself in many situations that he somehow knew were his karma for leaving his student, then losing him.

It had also been two years since Naruto's fame had first taken a giant leap. His description was known far and wide. From the port town that his legend originated, it spread by the boats that docked there to their dstinations. Word spreads quickly when it is brought to the far edges of the continent by the winds and the waves. Even in the shadows the story of what had happened had travelled far and wide. The underworld's up and coming leaders those four monsters at the docks that day, had fallen prey to Konoha steel, not that they knew that little piece of information. But the description of who had dealt the death blows had spread the continent and back. There wasn't a country that did not know of such a feat.

Sure there are tales of shinobi and their battles for glory, honor, or whatever they battle for. But that one incident was one of those few that were done out of selflessness, done out of the will to do what was right, to travel the road less traveled.

The business community had also helped spread the story to as far as they could reach. Most of it was lead by the world reknowned Rosuto Younen, that even lands from across the great ocean had heard of them, if not heard had dealt with one of their businesses or subsidiaries. That company had taken a great interest in the little legend, and made it grow, as if they had a vested interest in the growth of the popularity of that one unknown.

Somewhere along the borders of Kaze no Kuni there was a group of suna jounin that had claimed to come across a massively desnse forest that stretched on for miles. One member from that group reported to have seen someone that resembled the described legend. From that one sighting, word spread around that there was a hidden country that possibly was where the growing legend had come from. An ambassador from a forgotten world had been sent out and had been at the right place and at the right time to witness the bad side of the rest of the world. After that encounter the lengend then fled back to his home to report that the rest of the world was not worthy of their presence. This little rumor spread like wildfire, until it reached the ears of Jiraiya and his gang, who didn't treat it as a rumor, but as a lead.

That being the reason why Jiraiya and company found themselves on the border of Kaze no Kuni, about to attempt to breach the walls of the border of Rosuto no Kuni, the Land of the Lost.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kiyomi asked.

"No I don't," Jiraiya answered.

"Then why are we doing it?" Kiyomi asked.

"Because its the only lead I got on Naruto's whereabouts."

"Maybe we should leave Kiyomi in Suna or Konoha, it would be safer wouldn't it?" Mikio asked.

"I suppose it would, after all she is pregant, wouldn't want her to get caught up in one of our adventures would we," Haru said.

"So who's gonna take her to one of those places?" Ikkaku asked.

"I'll summon up Bunta to take her to Konoha."

"Guys! I'm right here you know! I can hear you talking about me!"

"Kiyo-chan, its just not safe for you to come with us on this thing."

"Yes, it is not safe for you, who carries the child of the Ero-sennin to come with us. It would endanger the child and possibly cause a premature birthing."

"Dude, did the Voice say that?" Haru askd Mikio.

"No, it is my own opinion...and Kiyomi-chan, you may have married Ero-sennin, but you are no where at the level of one of us. You would not stand a chance against the things we face every so often."

"Fine, fine. Send me to Konoha already! I can't wait to meet another woman who can bash Jiraiya-kun's balls in and not have to worry about any reprecusions."

"On second thought, let's bring her along, afterall, what could it hurt..." Jiraiya started to say.

"No way Ero-sennin, the safety of my godchild hangs in the balance here! You may be my number one favorite of all time author, but no way am I letting her come with us, even if she weren't preggy!" Ikkaku announced.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!**" Jiraiya shouted as he slammed his palms on the ground.

Out of the big ass hell huge puff of smoke came Gamabunta.

"**Jiraiya! Why have you summoned me?" **Gamabunta demands an answer.

"I just need you to take Kiyomi-chan to Konoha. We're going back into Rosuto no Kuni..."

"**WHAT?! You four are going in there??!" **the toad boss shouts while pointing in the direction of Rosuto no Kuni, "**ARE YOU ALL MAD?!"**

"Why? What's so bad about going in there?" Haru asked.

"From what we experienced the last time we were in there, there was nothing wrong with the place," Mikio said.

"Hey, Toady! I can go in and outta there whenever I wish! What's so bad about going in there now?" Ikkaku shouted.

"**That can't be, the stories told of that land are filled with war and strife! Its not the best place to go adventuring.**"

"That's exactly why we need you to take Kiyomi to Konoha, where we know, where I know she'll be kept safe. With the luck we men have been having, we might get sent back to the time when those stories of yours were born."

"**Fine, but if you do shit like this again, I'm terminating the contract, its bad enough that Naruto's name was erased.**"

"I-it was? How? When?"

"**The clan doesn't really know, all I do know is that it's got a different name on it nowadays...can't remember what though.**"

"Well thanks for the help Bunta," Jiraiya said, then facing Kiyomi, "I promise that we'll see each other again, and that I wont _do_ anything too bad. Okay?"

"Fine. You better find your student this time, or else I'm telling that Hokage of yours that you lost him."

"**YOU LOST NARUTO!? NEXT TIME I SEE YOU I AM SOOOOO EATING YOU! WAIT UNTIL THE SLUGS HEAR ABOUT THIS! YOU ARE SOOOOOO DEAD!!!! TSUNADE'S GONNA KILL YOU!**"

"Gamabunta-sama, please don't do that," Kiyomi begged.

"**Do what? Tell the slugs?"**

"Shout so loud. I'm pregnant you know. Four months along too."

"**Sorry...I didn't know."**

"Can we go now?"

"**Perverts of the snout, Kiyomi-chan, hang on!"**

With that said the four men leaped off to what would have been their doom if not for their training. Then they watched as Gamabunta leaped away in the direction of Konoha.

"Guess, now we go in...so Ikkaku, you know the way to the wall?" Jiraiya said.

"Sorry, I don't I usually just wander in the forest or jungle thing for days then find myself somewhere inside."

"We could always walk into a cave and hope that we somehow get in?" Haru said.

"Or, you can stand right there and wait for the Kyuubi no Yoko to devour you," someone behind the group said.

"Huh? What kind of advice is that?" Mikio asked.

"Oh, don't bother turning around, but you might want to look up," the person said.

The four men looked up only to find the gaping maw of the Kyuubi no Yoko closing in on them. They were to slow to react to the threat to their lives and ended up being swallowed whole by the monstrous being.

"So...Touken...how far back did you send them?" Kyonshi asked.

"Oh," Touken counted using his claws, "A thousand years or more into the past...I think..."

"Good enough for me," Kyonshi said, then continued mentally, '_Oh yes, karma's a bitch Ero-kun, wait til Naruto hears about the things you've done to his beloved country._'

* * *

Jiraiya and company, after being swallowed into the void that they assumed was the kitsune's gut, suddenly found themselves falling from the sky, heading down to the earth at speeds that would frighten most men. Unlike Tama, they did not see their lives flash before their eyes, or some dude in black eating popcorn. But they did see some guy with a hundred eyes try to reach out to them, but get pulled away at the last second. They never actually made it to the earth, instead they landed on the leathery hide of some flying lizard.

"Hey! You guys back there, you alright?" the guy who was apparently controlling the flyng thing shouted to them.

"What are we on?" Jiraiya shouted back, all the while clinging with chakra onto the leather bound surface.

"Transport dragon! We're heading to the province of Tetsu! Where were you guys heading to?" he answered.

"We're looking for someone, so no real destination," Ikkaku said.

"Who you guys looking for, maybe I've heard of him or her."

"Uzumaki Naruto, ring any bells?" Jiraiya asked.

"Uzumaki? Never heard of that clan before. Naruto? Now that's a name I know!"

"Jiraiya, the Naruto he knows I know too, he's the son of Juushu," Ikkaku whispered.

"But there was no mention of Juushu having any family in the book I read," Mikio said.

"You guys talking about Juushu-sama?" the driver asked.

"Yeah! My friend Mikio over here wants to know why a history book made no mention of Rosuto Naruto," Ikkaku said.

"Hey man, you know why! Tell 'im! Military excercises up ahead! Need all the concentration I can get!" he said, "Alright, Akakuroryuu! Let's do this! Just don't drop the cargo this time!"

He received a mighty roar in response.

"Mikio, the reason why the book didn't make mention of him, was because the book, you must have read only gave a brief overview about the country. The Shokon clan doesn't really need any indepth books, they just need the basics to teach their children."

"Oh," Mikio said.

After Mikio said that nobody spoke anything else since their attention was directed to a battle in the skies, between several other dragons and some giant birds. Elemental attacks were flying here and there, this way and that way. It was an amazingly frightening sight.

"Ikkaku..?" Jiraiya said.

"I never thought I'd see something like this."

"What is it?" Haru asked.

"The Voice is not responding, spill it Ikkaku," Mikio said.

"I'm sure you guys can tell that those flying lizards are dragons, those giant birds are called rocs."

"Okay, but what do you mean by you never thought that you'd see something like that?" Haur asked.

"Only one clan is permitted to command black dragons, aside from the Juushu clan, and that is the Kuraku clan, and the reason why I am so surprised is that councilman Kuraku Yuji is out there as well."

"Councilman Kuraku Yuji? Who's that?" Haru asked.

"He's one of the Nine Immortal Generals. He really is immortal, he's one of the guys that fought under Juushu-sama close to a thousand years ago."

"Seriously?"

"Yes Haru, seriously. Before you even think of marrying Megumi-chan, you'll have to ask permission first from councilman Shokon Yahiko. Megumi-chan may be clan head, but Yahiko-sama is still the boss."

"You know what, Ikkaku you seem like an encyclopedia when it comes to this country. Anything else you can tell us?" Mikio said.

"Nothing that I can think of at the moment."

No more questions could be asked due to the dragon they were riding on had entered the battlezone. The four men had to cling onto the back of the dragon with all their might lest they be blown off by the gale force winds that were trying to blow them away. The dives and other movements by the dragon they were on was not helping them at all, nor were the flashing lights, arrows, sounds of clashing steel, and most importantly the bolt of lightning that seemingly incinerated them one by one.

"Hehe, Oji-sama! They're all gone now!" the driver shouted.

"Good work Genji!," Yuji said, "The lot of you, jobs done! You can all go home now!"

"Sir! We'd like to keep on til one side actually loses!" one of the captains shouted.

"Carry on then, Genji, I'll fly alongside you on your delivery, I haven't seen Yoshiko-chan in a long time."

* * *

After being hit with a blast of electricity which should have killed them, the four men found themselves in a place that they did not know, not even Ikkaku who had travelled all over Rosuto no Kuni knew where they were. There was a city nearby, so they decided that their best course of action was to go there.

Once in the city, the group of four decided to split up to find out exactly where they were.

Jiraiya had been the first one to notice that there was something definitely wrong with the city. For one thing a group of soldiers had picked a fight with him thinking him just some other old person due to his white hair, and his hunched posture at the time. He had definitely showed them who was at the top of the food chain right then and there. So they enlisted him into the army. They did this due to his ferocity and power, even though he looked old, he could sure pack a punch. But before he could be fully inducted in the army, he was brought to the castle, and then to the dungeon, and told that he had to survive in the dungeon with all those criminals for three whole days. He had to kill as many as he could, since they had no way to get rid of so many pests. So that was exactly what Jiraiya did for three days, he killed as many pests as he could find, lizards, rats, roaches, all manner of pest. On the third day, after finding out that Jiraiya had not killed a single person brought him before the daimyou.

Mikio had wandered off and eventually found himself in the same predicament as Jiraiya, but his imprisonment was for a different reason, the soldiers thought that he was a crazy person. So they decided to keep him in the dungeon, where they could just get him if ever they were to be attacked. Unfortunately, while among those prisoners, Mikio did nothing but wait for the others to arrive. He had already seen Jiraiya, but he had yet to see Ikkaku or Haru.

Ikkaku had left the city after he figured out when and where they were. They had managed to land themselves more than a thousand years into the past of Rosuto no Kuni, specifically they had landed in Tetsu, when it was still an independent country, and not a province. Ikkaku after learning this, left the city in order to find some way to leave the country to one of the more pleasant places, like Sakura no Kuni. He needed to find the group some horses. He believed that after all the adventures that the group had gone through, they would be able to fend for themselves and not get into much life threatening trouble.

How wrong Ikkaku was. At the moment that Ikkaku had managed to acquire some horses from the local black market merchant, Haru had found himself infront of the country's ruler, about to be ripped to shreds, and eaten somewhat alive. Jiraiya and Mikio had been brought in and presented as weaklings or as too insane to be kept alive, and would be served as the main course and desert.

Haru was actually smiling as he was lying on the plate, while the ruler sharpened his knives. He thought that it would be unlikely that he would really be harmed in the situation that he was in, since all other previous situations had proved that the worst that could happen to him was that he would be sent to somewhere not on the map.

Jiraiya upon being informed of his purpose in life, immediately panicked, and started to attack everythng and anything in sight. Mikio doing the same, in order to keep up appearances that he was insane. All the while Haru just kept on smiling.

"Haru this would be the best time that you grab us and run out of here!" Mikio said as he passed by his friend while trying to take out the daimyou.

"Ok!" Haru said as he jumped up ran to his two friends, grabbed them by their shirts, then ran outta there all the while saying, "Beep beep" over and over again.

They met up with Ikkaku who told them to get on the horses and follow him.

"Where the hell were you?!" Jiraiya shouted.

"I was getting us a way outta here, why?" Ikkaku asked.

"We were about to become dinner, if the guards hadn't told us why we were going to see the daimyou!" Mikio shouted at his friend.

"Err, I thought that you guys could handle yourselves," Ikkaku said.

"So, where are we?" Haru asked as if someone did not just try to eat him.

"Tetsu no Kuni, more than a thousand years into the past."

"Next time some unknown tell us that he's going to do something to us, I'm running, thats that," Jiraiya said.

"The Voice is out of the coverage area, so how are we getting out of this mess this time?" Mikio asked the group.

"Haven't a clue," Haru said.

* * *

So the four men having nothing better to do in Tetsu rode off into the sunset. As darkness covered the land, the four men suddenly found themselves floating in a great abyss, that was when they realized that they weren't in Elemental anymore.

"We're not in Elemental anymore," Haru said stating the obvious.

"We know," the three other men said.

"Whoa! That was faaaaaast! I didn't think I'd get to see you were for a while yet!" said a voice in the darkness.

"Show yourself! Whoever you are! I have fists and I don't know how to use them!" Haru shouted.

"Haru...I think you meant to say 'and I know how to use 'em', didn't you," Mikio said.

"Yeah! What Miki said!" Haru said.

"So...let me get this straight...you don't know where you are, and yet you will threaten the one that knows where in all of creation you are, did I get that right?" the voice asked.

"Come out and fight like a man, you thingy!" Haru shouted to the darkness.

"Very mature of you Haru, what would Megumi think," Jiraiya said.

"You know...your voice sounds familiar....I know I've heard it somewhere...." Ikkaku said thinking out loud.

"I-it does...? Alright forget about this! Have fun in Sakura! Bye!" the voice said hurridly as he made the darkness swallow up the four men, and spit them out in the outskirts of the the capital of Sakura no Kuni.

* * *

Once the men were able to get their bearings back, they found themselves just outside of Sakura no Kuni. The place was amazingly amazingly beautiful. There were sakura trees everywhere. Deciding that it would not be okay for them to split up, the group stuck together, hopefully no one would bother a group of four men traveling together.

Just like most of the things that happen to the group, they once again found themselves in a situation that did not seem to favor them at all. They had all been brought into an underground dungeon and were made to share a cell with two of the most unlikely persons that Jiraiya had ever thought of seeing in a place like the one that they were in. Jiraiya and company's cellmates were none other than Orochimaru and Mizuki.

"Oi! Teme! How'd you get in here?" Jiraiya asked his former friend.

"..."

"What too embarassed to answer?"

"..."

"Ero-sennin...I don't think that that is the Orochimaru you know," Ikkaku said.

"What makes you say that?" Jiraiya asked.

"Well, we are currently in Sakura no Kuni, or nearly a thousand years into the past as we know it, that teme as you called him, could in all actuality be the ancestor of the teme that you know."

"Seriously? So does that mean that if I kill him, there wont be an Orochimaru in our time?"

"No."

"Waddaya mean 'no'? Won't killing the ancestor kill the entire line?"

"Normally it would, but we are in the past of Rosuto no Kuni, a number of unexplainable occurences have happened in the history of the country, one of them is finding Musha Toru in the closet of Noufu Kira which in itself in a crazy thing."

"So, when Megumi-chan said that people appearing in closets for no reason has more or less happened before, it was true?" Haru asked.

"Yep, weirder things have happened in Rosuto no Kuni, than even Juushu-sama can explain."

"So....what now?" Jiraiya asked.

"We wait, someone is bound to come get one of us sooner or later," Ikkaku said.

"So what happens when one of us is taken?" Mikio asked.

"Well they'll open the cell right, so when they do that we rush 'em and get outta here," Haru said enthusiastically.

"I could always summon up one of the Gama clan.." Jiraiya suggested.

"Don't do that! Something like that is unheard of in this time, summoning up one of the Gama clan would probably get you a toad you are unfamiliar with, or possibly a Gamabunta that is an egg or something," Ikkaku said.

Before long someone did go to their cell only not to get them but to get the Orochimaru and Mizuki look-a-likes. Leaving the four men as the only ones in the cell. A little while later, the four men heard an explosion that shook the whole underground prison, soon after a black clad person, who resembled a shinobi pulled off the bars of the cell door from its hinges and pulled brought the men out after saying telling them that they were safe and that everything was going to be alright.

Jiraiya thinking that it was some sort of scam to get them to go with the person, who in his mind would later betray them and try to do something to them, almost attacked their rescuer, that is he was stopped by Ikkaku who jumped at the chance to escape. The four men followed their savior to a hole in the ceiling, where they were carried out of the place. Once out of the hole, Jiraiya did what he had intended to do, not knowing who these people were Jiraiya struck, causing himself and his four companions to be submerged in trouble. They were easily thrown away by one of the black clad rescuers who muttered that it was probably just the shock of someone actually caring. Something then grabbed the four dazed men, and then they could feel the wind rushing by. But instead of following the rest of the escapees the ones that had grabbed the four led them somewhere else, which was straight to the battlefield.

"If you can fight us, you can fight those things..," the person was referring to the soldiers of Sakura no Kuni.

The person then promtly dropped the four men just by the battle.

"Find your own ways home," the person said before leaving them, "You are not needed here."

The person then left the four men on the ground with nothing to do, then to fight , which they did. If fighting would be the way to go, then fighting they would do. If fighting were the only way that the four men would be able to get back to their time, then that would be what they would do. So they began gathering their chakra.

One of the people that they were attacking the Sakura forces noticed what the four men were planning on doing, then instead of rushing the Sakura troops he rushed the four men, quickly engaging them in an all out taijutsu battle.

Daybreak was soon uproaching them, faster than the four men could react the figure attacking them appered behind them and knocked them temporarily out.

"Zombie-sensei, get them out of here, this is no place for people that should not even be here. I have an operation to run," the Naruto clone said.

Hearing him, the ground swallowed up the four men, in the dirt, a smiley face appeared.

'_That better be the last time I see them for a while_' the clone thought before poofing out of existence.

* * *

The four men were spat out in four different places entirely. Jiraiya found himself in what would be later be Sakana no Kuni. Mikio found himself in what would later be Tenshi no Kuni. Haru found himself in what would later be known as Komugi no Kuni, while Ikkaku found himself in the Shokon compound a few weeks before Jiraiya and his two sodekicks would find themselves in Megumi's closet.

After regaining consciousness Jiraiya found himself in a futon in someone's house. He then got out of where he was resting only to find a Kiyomi look-a-like staring at him carrying a tray of food. She looked to be about to enter the room he had been staying in.

"Uhm...if you don't mind my asking, where am I?" Jiraiya asked.

"In my village, it doesn't have a name, but we are called the people who live by the lake," she answered.

"Oh...uhm...I'm Jiraiya by the way, and uhm...yeah...so..."

"We found you in the water."

"In the water?"

"Yes, do you not remember?"

"No, I don't."

"When some of us brought you out of the water you said that you had to find someone."

"Ahh, yes, I do, my student, he's a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes, with three birthmarks on his face."

"I'm sorry but we've met no one that looks like that, actually you are the first man that we have seen in a while."

"Really? Why's that?"

"Well, my village is mostly made up of women, we rarely ever get a male guest, for some reason, most men think that we do not like men, and that we only use them to for the survival of the village."

"So, are you saying that people think that you girls kill men?"

"Yes, we find it odd, but most men that do come to stay with us die eventually."

"Oh...uhm...so what do I have to do not to die?" Jiraiya asked.

"Nothing, we really do not mean you any harm."

"Since I told you my name, could you tell me yours?"

"I am known as Kiyomi, nice to meet you Jiraiya-kun."

"N-n-nice to m-meet you too..."

"Why did you stutter?"

"Eheh...because you look like someone I know, you even have the same name as her..."

"Oh, then she must be very pretty."

"Yep."

"Could you perhaps tell me how you managed to come from the water, we watch it's surface making sure that no one enters it."

"Why can't anyone enter it?"

"Because the spirits live in the water, you are a spirit so you should know."

"Ahh...if you say so...so is there anything you need from me?"

"How come even though we drink the water from the lake and eat the food of the earth, all of our children are girls?"

"Oh, that's an easy one, hehe, it is said that fish or anything from the water holds the spirit of men, and usually fish are the strongest. These creatures are the ones that you should eat to increase your numbers."

"Really?"

"Well, that's just what I've heard."

"Can you help me bring the first male into the village?"

"Uhm...no...I can't really...you see I need to go back home or else bad things will happen.."

"Oh...I didn't know...I'll lead you to the water's edge then."

"Hehe...sorry that I couldn't be of much help, but I really can't interfere too much."

Kiyomi led Jiraiya to the water's edge. Once there the rest of the women of the village had gathered not far from them.

"Hehe, from here I came, right?" he asked the Kiyomi of the past.

"Hai."

"Then I guess, here I shall return," he said before he dove under water. Little did he know that in his pocket was some sex enhancement pills, and the like that he had forgotten to take out or keep in a better hiding place, also a small flask containing the oil of Myobokuzan that he carried around with him had a small leak. These two things when they mixed with the water created two things, the first being that the effects of the marine life on human reproductivity was enhanced, and the oil mixed with the water produced a sort of all pancea to all health related issues.

While diving beneath the surface, Jiraiya found that he didn't need to come up for air, it seemed as if the water was slowly turning into air, that was when it hit him, he was fading out of that time through the mixture of the air and of the water. He was actully going home, but what was the reason for his going to that place, he didn't know.

* * *

While Jiraiya had just escaped what should have been paradise to him, Mikio was walking all alone in a barren wasteland. There appeared to be no form of civilization around him. There was absolutely nothing but sand, sand and more sand, even more sand than that time that Inari's kitsune chased after him and his friends.

There was just too much damnable sand, Mikio was getting frustrated at having to walk around in circles, but after his five hundred and fiftieth circuit Mikio encountered two things that he thought he would never encounter. One had white wings and looked heavenly, while the other resembled a Tengu with his black wings but with human features. They appeared to be arguing.

"This land should be populated by heavenly beings!" the white winged female said.

"No! It should be filled with monsters! There aren't enough of those in this world!" the black winged male argued.

"Too much beauty can be monstrous too you know."

"You're only saying that just so that I'll back down, well I wont, and anyway monsters in a frenzy can be considered as art, and art is beautiful."

That was the way their argument went, on and on back and forth, until...

"Let's let that wandering thing decide," the female said.

"Fine by me," the male said, "Hey! You! Thing! Decide for us, beauty or monstrosity?"

"Why don't you just make something that is equally beautiful and monstrous at the same time," Mikio answered.

"Beauty as a disguise to hide the monster within?" the female thought out loud.

"An angelic face, but a demon on the battlefield?" the male thought too out loud.

"I like it! Let's do it! You can go away now, thing!" the male and female said at the same time.

After being dismissed, Mikio found that he no longer had the strength to stand and collapsed into the sand, which then swallowed him up, the next thing he saw was complete and utter dakrness.

* * *

While Jiraiya and Mikio were having their creation of life episodes, Ikkaku was blissfully being hounded by most of the Shokon and Giman clans for peeping and groping the head of the Shokon clan.

'_Jiraiya is missing out on a lot!!!_' thought the Sennin to himself.

While he was running away from the angry mob, Ikkaku failed to notice that he had accidentally run into someone that could kill him with just a thought.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here," the person said.

"Uhm....sir, uh....can you get me back to my friends? Please?" Ikkaku begged as if his life depended on it, which it did.

"Sure why no, I'll let sensei's daughter beat the living and the dead out of you," and with but a thought Ikkaku blinked and found himself in the company of Jiraiya and Mikio.

The two men claimed that they had yet to see hide nor hair of Haru.

* * *

While the other men decided to just sit still and wait for their wayward companion, Ikkaku decided that he would try out that spell that he had been praticing, some months ago he had promised someone that he would find a way to bring that someone back to the planet on which he stood.

So he chanted a long string of words, read a few made up sutras, danced his more embarassing than Jiraiya's introductory dance dance, then slammed his palms on the ground.

The two men had wandered over curious as to what foolishness the Honored Sage had been up to. What they found was Ikkaku holding a woman in his arms.

"Hehe...eh...guys meet Chang'e-chan, Chang-chan meet the guys I told you about."

"So...when's the wedding?" Mikio asked.

"We're already married in the eyes of the Kami," Chang'e said.

"Oh....so...we just wait for Haru?" Mikio asked.

"Pretty much," Ikkaku said.

"You know, for some reason I was expecting something more spectacular to happen," Jiraiya voiced his thoughts.

"Me too," Mikio agreed.

The three men then promptly sat down and waited for Haru to miraculously appear.

* * *

Haru, after being swallowed up by the earth was spat out somewhere in Komugi no Kuni. He stood on a dam, which held back a lake somekind of mud like looking substance, personally Haru didn't want to taste it and find out what it was.

As he stood on the dam overlooking the wheat field, and idea struck him, he wheat field lack color. There was no omph when looking at it. It was boring.

So Haru gathered his chakra into his fist and punched the dam. Instantly the effect of the punch could be seen, large cracks in the dam appeared, a few seconds later the dam burst.

"And poof! It became Koko Krunch!" Haru shouted before he was sucked under the rushing chocolate mud flow.

And just like that he popped out of a hole in the ground infront of his companions, plus one woman, with a box of cereal in one hand, and a milk carton in the other.

"Koko Krunch anyone?" Haru asked.

"I don't want to know," Jiraiya and Mikio said at the same time.

_

* * *

I know it was short, but it's a Jiraiya chapter, length doesn't matter...I was planning on making Naruto do what Haru did, oh well..._


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 15**

_Previously on Lost..._

_After saying that, he felt his three friends transcend through the boundaries between world and went back home to report to Kyonshi and watch Juushu's progrees._

'I really hope they can get those armies to attack home...' _Juushu thought as he continued his time warping trek back to Juushu Oujou._

*

*

The war had been progressing nicely, all the nine lands were suffering from the attacks of Juushu's armies. His nine generals immediately began their assults on the cities, town, villages, and armies of the daimyous of each of the nine lands. They each proclaimed that it was by the will of Rosuto Juushu that they would rid each of the nine lands of their present governments, unifying all the lands under one banner, that of Rosuto Juushu.

These proclamations, added to the fact that in each battle in which the daimyous' armies engaged in Juushu's armies triumphed, enraged the nine daimyous enough to force them into an alliance of sorts with one another. Their collective prides be damned, they would get rid of this new threat, and indeed Juushu was a threat, then return to the ways things were before the arrival of these invaders.

While Juushu's nine generals and the armies under their commands were harrassing the lands in which they were based in, Juushu too was kept busy with preparations for what he deemed as the final battle. The one fight to end all fights, or at least for the next thousand years.

Thats the thing with these people, they have a thing for the number nine, three, seven, and thousand. Well, Juushu was ready to implement his plan, all that he was waiting for was for the armies of the nine lands to have the bulk of the remainder of their main forces to attack the capital of the recently revealed Rosuto no Kuni, Juushu Oujou.

Juushu had a few thousand troops to march from Juushu Oujou and make their way to the nine lands to increase attacks on the resident daimyous. They were also tasked with spreading information that Juushu was in his city, that he was literally looking down on the other daimyous, he appeared like he could not be bothered to really worry about the other nine. His base of operations was so impenetrable that he did not need the bulk of his army to defend it, or even be anywhere near it.

Juushu needed the daimyous' prides to be burned, and be burned badly. They would be forced to believe that they too did not need to overly fortify their capitals and bases.

Juushu would then somehow implant the thought that the best way of ridding the lands of the threat of Rosuto no Kuni would be a decisive battle, one that the nine lands' armies would have around the walls of Juushu Oujou. If you take out the head, the body will fall apart. Of course, Juushu would also use this tactic. The egos of the nine lords were big enough for them to believe that their armies were all that were needed to defeat Juushu. They would leave their capitals undefended.

When that would happen, Juushu would strike. He would travel to all nine capitals and do battle with the daimyous, one on one, they would not expect that. They would at first feel a sense of security since Juushu would have his armies cease all attacks on the nine lands, and make it look like they were rushing back to Juushu Oujou once the inforamtion that the nine lands' armies were heading for their capital, and for the head of their daimyou.

With this false sense of security, Juushu would make his move, he would enact his surprise attack. When the attacks would happen, he would be in ten places at the exact same time. He would make sure that his battles were as visible as possible. He would finally get to let loose. His bases in the nine lands could serve as the capitals of his future nine provinces, the present capitals would be damaged to the point that they would not be fit to be capitals, the only city that wouldn't suffer that much damage would be Sakura no Kuni's capital, due to Juushu having a house there.

* * *

In Komugi no Kuni, Yuji was busy burning the wheat fields one after the other. The dragons of myth and legend helping him in his quest in making people believe that the gods were angry, and were siding with the Rosuto forces. Dragons, terrible beasts and creatures of legend. Yuji had his dragons, as well as the elemental constructs, not just burn fields but also eat people, virgins, children, and the like, most of which were just clones, but the locals of Komugi didn't need to know that. By following the daimyou they were dooming themselves to a life of death. To the daimyou it was a message that the Rosuto forces meant business, it didn't matter how the dragons came to be there, all that mattered was that there were dragons and they were terrorizing the countryside.

The elemental dragons were the worst of the lot, along with the wheat fields, the weather herself kept changing, the seasons were extremely irregular. Due to the influence any dragons had on the the weather it would rain cats and dogs one day, then be as dry as a desert the next. Supply routes were continously remapped, some were completely abandoned, labeled as dead lands, due to the earthquakes that some of the dragons induced.

Aside from the harrassing and whatnot that Yuji was incharge of, he was also given the privelage, like the other generals, of knowing some of Juushu's plans. Yuji was in charge of terraforming Komugi no kuni, as were the other eight generals with their own respective lands.

Juushu was having the nine lands reformed, it was going to literally be a rebirth. Like some of the phoenixes that Juushu had encountered in his training, his land, Rosuto no Kuni, would join with the nine lands, out of the ashes of war another greater country would rise, Rosuto no Kuni would be that country, one that was totally different from what it still was.

Juushu planned on having almost every kind of land mass or terrain in his country, as well as almost every and any body of water that he could fit into the counrty as well. The land would be a new world, as well as a lost world that would be sealed away from the rest of the world for a thousand years, only allowing minor glimpses of its splendor to be seen by the outside world.

* * *

While Yuji was busy laying the smackdown in Komugi with the tales of dragons in his vast arsenal of teeth claws and mystical and mythical might, Tamotsu was busy having the onigumo and the onisasori, otherwise known as Juushu's pet spiders and scorpions, swallowing the sands of Tenshi. There was just too much sand there, some of it would be transported somehow to other parts of the country during the rebirth, but for now it was just too much, also the sand connected the land of Kaze no Kuni, Juushu needed to separate the lands from the other lands that were not affected by the wars.

While Tamotsu was not overseeing the sand sucking and harrassment of the natives of Tenshi which Mugoi was usually overseeing, he was busy overseeing the defenses against the SandFish that had somehow found their way to the sea of sand. There weren't too many of them, but there were enough of them to be hazardous to the health of Rosuto and Tenshi residents alike. Tamotsu had been successful in obtaining a few carcasses of those monstrous things. But there were still a number of them out there.

Tamotsu had also noticed the gradual appearance of a number of creatures that he had never encountered or thought existed. When he consulted Mugoi, he was told that they were creatures from another time and place, that had decided to come up and make themselves known. If the lands were to experience a rebirth, the land would even gain some of these emerging creatures. Too bad that the battlecats loved hunting the smaller things.

Naruko and Mori were an inseprable duo, it didn't matter that they were married to one another, where one went the other would follow, most it was Mori doing all the following. Naruko was usually at the front of the army that was engaging the resident army. It was chaos reminiscent of Uzumaki Naruto during his pranking days. Her attacks weren't all that deadly, but the number of things that she could pull out of her magician's hat were quite frightening. While Mugoi had the forces just harrass, attack, and stuff. Naruko went out of her way to scare the living out of the Tenshi army. The devils of the battlefield had met their match in ferocity. Mori was just there to make sure that nothing bad happened to his wife, not that much could get near her.

Unlike his wife, Mori was the one who constantly found himself in trouble, always needing to be rescued, for one reason or another, he had a habit of finding his way into messes that he could not figure a way out of. He'd had his head nearly bitten off, it was only due to the timely intervention of Tamotsu and his SandFish hunting party that Mori's heads were still attacked to his body. His arms were nearly severed on a few occasions.

One time Mori had accidentally peeked at a hot spring somewhere in Tenshi, and due to the giggling of a another peeker, an intentional one, he was caught up in the mad stampede of women that wanted to take his heads off. A SandFish was one thing, but a horde of pervert hating women was another thing. After narrowly escaping certain doom. The other guy bribed Mori with an orange little book that was obviously not for children. The guy who gave it to him thought that he was a fellow skirt chaser. In memory of their meeting, the book was an autographed copy, there were also a number of preservation seals placed on it, so that Mori could make it some sort of family hierloom or something. Once Naruko found out about the book, Mori had to hide from his wife, he spent two weeks constantly being in the presence of Tamotsu, because for some reason Mugoi and his fellow sided with Naruko. Eventually the book was forgotten, but somehow Juushu found out about it and well, Tamotsu and Mori had more things to worry about. Juushu sent a chicken carrying chicken pox to the base. Most of the people there suffered a week's woth of pox due to Mori's little mishap. Naruko and the clones were the only ones saved from the ordeal due to certain immunities.

After that incident the men of the Tenshi base realized that their being perverts should be kept hidden and safe behind closed doors, as well as only seen by their wives. Who knew that Juushu could send a plague spawned from a cock of all things to torment perverts. The book was not confiscated, just that Mori was informed that should he ever encounter the guy that gave him the book again to somehow capture him so that Juushu could have his wicked ways with him, not in the pervertd sense mind you.

* * *

While Tamotsu dealt with the intricacies of placating monsters in the desert and with Yuji playing with mythological fire, Tsuneo was busy orchestrating massive plays, shows, and the like in Sakura no Kuni. His newfound mastery of Kugutsu no Jutsu was terrifying. The Puppet Corps was one of the most feared of all the Corps in the Rosuto Army. Sakura no Kuni had several smaller bases litering the whole of it, all of which were commanded by one puppet master.

Monzaemon had gifted his prized puppets to one of his pupils, one of the ones that had, after mastering puppetry to a more than acceptable level, chosen to return to their clan, and teach the art of puppetry to their relatives. With the pupil and her clansmen, the story of Chikamatsu Monzaemon and the destructive power of puppets would be brought to the dunes of Kaze no Kuni, where in the future Kugutsu no Jutsu would be one of the world's most coveted arts. That is of course until Juushu and Monzaemon reared their handsome back into the reality of the rest of the contient.

Tsuneo's forces had managed to infiltrate every single place in Sakura no Kuni. With the mastery over puppets, the puppet masters were also allowed to go about their terraforming at a much faster pace as compared to the other lands, save for Komugi.

* * *

Those were only a few of the things that were going on in the nine lands, most of the things that were occuring in the other lands were the same. Well, maybe except for Sakana no Kuni, where things were upside down and inside out, due to the chaos that swept through the land due to the actions and whims of Rosuto Naruto, who was always followed by his wife Emiko just to make sure that he didn't do anything that would endanger the people, or spook them into thinking that they were better off with their daimyou instead of with the forces of Rosuto Juushu.

Naruto was a sadistic madman, finding pleasure in scaring the living daylights out of his enemies, and his brother-in-law. Having Tama be sent to Juushu's location via croc was just one of the tamer things that he had done. Some of the more dangerous and sadistic things consisted of paint, paint, and lots of paint. Some of the Sakana soldiers had died due to being painted in too much orange. The color was just too bright forthem to handle. Some of the special water that was the predecessor of Hero Water, was kawarimi'd with blue paint. Naruto had an unhealthy obsession with paint. The only way to calm him down was with ten bowls of ramen, and the presence of his wife, any other time and he was as mad as the mad hatter. But of course there were times that he was all business. During the planning stages of attacks, the man was a complete stiff, the guy acted like one of those old army generals that had seen too many battles and such. It was creepy how the guy came up with stratwgies on the fly.

Toru was the complete opposite of his brother-in-law, he was all business during operations, but during planning and while not doing anything, the guy could literally be found doing nothing. Some of his best friends were guys from a branch of a clan that loved the phrase or word troublesom.

Among the three leaders of Sakana, Emiko was the most normal of the three, she kept the two males in line. She never encountered any dangerous situation that she couldn't get out of, and she made sure that everyone was ok. She was the Chief Medical Officer or Surgeon General of the Sakana bases. She would sometimes become a scarier and younger version of Tsunade, complete with super punching action.

Naruto made the plans, Toru implemented the plans, and Emiko made sure that the plans succeeded. That was how the Rosuto forces in Sakana worked. But when they did mess up, there was always a back up plan that would have already been prepared by Toru's troublesome friends.

* * *

Giman Ryuu and the Medical Corps of the Nasu group, were known far and wide as the damned best medical practitioners in the nine lands. Some soldiers defected from their countries in order to seek medical aid from Ryu and his group. The Komugi defectors and traitors worshipped the group upon which Ryuu walked on due to the fact that the Nasu base was in the mountains with hundreds of dragons, ranging from eggs to adults. The Komugi natives always brought wheat and other products of the earth whenever they visited the base aor even if they were assigned to the base, they offered these things to Ryuu who just added them to the stocks and stores of the Nasu group. The dragons didn't really care much for the wheat and stuff, they just found it amussing that so many humans found them quite frightening. Ryuu was the go-to general when there was a need for medics or medical supplies.

* * *

While his generals were busy with their daily activities, Juushu had his troops in the capital prepare for battle, he didn't know exactly when the battle was going to take place, but he would make sure that it would happen days before the anniversary.

He made sure that all the trebuchets, catapults, and ballistas were armed and ready for anything at any time, all the gears were oiled regulary to keep them in working condition.

The civilians and other citizens of Rosuto no Kuni could see their leader walking on the walls, and in nine other parts of the city at the same time, doing routine inspections and the like.

What the regular people didn't know was that there were clones of Juushu everywhere, doing this and that in preparation for the final defensive battle.

One of things that the people noticed that Juushu didn't seem to mind were those pranksters that ran around the city, pulling pranks left and right. While the reciepients of the pranks didn't find them all that funny, the other people were reminded that even though there was a war going on beyond the walls, the people should keep happy.

Juushu understood that even in times of war, there was always time for fun.

What the people didn't know, was nine times out of ten, the pranks were not pulled by the youth or someone like that, but by Juushu himself. Even their leader needed to cut loose.

One time Juushu painted his castle keep in rainbow colors, and the mountain in a clownish motiff. At first the people feared that the pranksters had gone too far, that is until they saw their leader fall off a wall laughing his ass off. The paint was easily removed. The cleanup was done by the troublemakers in the city, as well as some soldiers as a training exercise.

That big prank was blamed on a quartet of men that some had spotted running for their lives here and there on the mountain. Aside from the quartet, there were also sightings of a number of larger than life creatures that the clean up crew had never encountered, these things were spotted chasing the quartet.

When Juushu encountered the group, he sent them flying into a cave which housed some onigumo. That was the only time that the people of the clean up crew found their leader do something slightly sadistic, which was evident with the malicious glint in his eyes, and the maniacal laughter that escaped his lips as the shrieks of fear reached their ears and one by one died down, until there was silence.

The clean up crew actually thought that they were to become some kind of ritual sacrifice to the onigumo, but were relieved when their leader bunny hopped away while singing the happ birthday song to himself. The date of the incident was October ten.

* * *

While the Rosuto forces were experiencing success after success, and the leaders were able to enjoy themselves, the daimyous of the nine lands were not having a good time. Their resources were being depleted, their contacts in the black market were vanishing off of the face of the earth, and they were losing troops fast. They had to make an offensive move. They had been at war with one another but, for the first time they agreed that they would send their armies to attack Juushu Oujou, they knew that it could be found at the intersecting point of all of their lands, all their armies were to march and arrive at the exact same time. Their decision to go on this campaign was due to the inforamtion had been spread throughout the lands that the base of the Rosuto forces was only defended by walls, and a handful of soldiers.

It was finally time to decapitate the Rosuto threat. This meeting of lords happened within hearing range of Yahiko, in Naiya no Kuni.

After all the plans were made, and everything was confirmed to be true, Yahiko sent word to Juushu that the daimyous were making their move.

Once the news reached him, Juushu, informed all his forces that they were to gradually stop all their attacks. The final battle was approaching. He ordered his generals to spread out all troops in the lands, and prepare for something, what that something was they were not informed, not even Tsukiko who had stolen Juushu's heart.

* * *

It was one month before the anniversary of the wars of the nine lands, that the armies that participated in those wars arrived to the sight of the most heavily defended city that they had ever and would ever see.

The scouts of the armies reported that the walls were not only high, but were filled to the brim with soldiers, most of the ones that were seen were archers, on top of the walls there was a wall of archers standing shoulder to shoulder, with their bows and arrows at the ready.

The attackers had come somewhat prepared, they managed to copy the designs of the siege weapons that the Rosuto forces used to defend their bases, and sometimes attack. The attackers had cruder but working versions of the mounted defenses of Juushu Oujou's walls.

The defenders just stood still, waiting for the order to let their arrows fly. The mages, also waited for the signal to send out their attacks. On the northernmost part of the outer wall, ontop of the gate, facing the generals of the armies stood Rosuto Juushu. Standing defiantly, facing his foes.

Some of the troops in the armies of the nine lands thought that the leader of Rosuto no Kuni was a very cocky bastard, that deserved what they were sent there to do. The daimyous of their lands never went out of their way to be seen on the battlefield, and here was the leader of their enemy, mocking them.

The generals collectively saw Juushu's mere presence as an insult, they refused to believe that one man could stand up to the might of nine nations that had succeccsully gone to war with one another for almost a thousand years, with none of them getting the upper hand.

The generals assumed that the wall defenders were mostly civilians, only a few of which were actual soldiers. From the information that they were given the Rosuto capital city only had a handful of soldiers, but little did they know that their definition of a handful was waaaay different from Juushu's definition of a handful. None of the wall defenders were civilians. All the defenders were trained military personnel.

When the attackers decided to charge, the archers were ordered to hold their attacks. They attackers after entering the range of the arrows became even more aggressive, their pride and egos were boosted since they believed that the defenders feared for their lives and refused to attack due to that fear.

This was another sense of false security and victory that Juushu had planned on instilling in the heads of the attackers.

Once the attackers were able to clearly see the defenders, they were surprised at what they found, some of them tried to retreat, but the charging others that had not yet been able to witness the horror of what the walls had, forced all of them forward.

On the walls, the wall of archers made it known that there were actually three rows of them, or three tiers. The front row were crouched, the middle row were kneeling, and the back row were standing.

Once a third of the charging army had seen the sheer number of wall defenders, the rest of the charging soldiers witnessed the sky go dark due to the sheer number of arrows that filled the afternoon sky.

If that wasn't enough to scare the attackers, the wave upon wave of fireballs that impacted with soldier upon soldier should have. Aside from the Katon: Hosenka no Jutsus that were fired into the army via the Jutsu clones, the mages, both clones and people, summoned earth golems, which they controlled to attack the attackers closest to the walls.

Half of the charging troops managed to survive the onslaught. They used their fallen comrades as shields. No respect for the dead whatsoever. As soon as they returned to the rest of the armies, they along with the others witnessed the earth swallowing the dead bodies whole. The only evidence that a massacre had taken place was the scorched earth and the earth golems that had tumbled in on themselves.

The generals then decided to use their long range weapons, as well as the siege towers that they had at their disposal. The generals refused to acknowledge that the defenders were any good, they just assumed that what occurred was a fluke.

So they rolled out their towers, and long range weapons. Once they were within range of the walls, they just fired at the walls, throwing flaming rocks and regular rocks at the walls. What they didn't expect was for an invisible barrier to stop the rocks from damaging the walls, as well as stop the ballista bolts from harming the defenders. The attackers paid this no mind, they just continued with their attacking.

The defenders getting fed up with the pointless attacks, after waiting for hours for the attackers to tire, decided that it was time to retaliate. Without an order being issued from Juushu, the mounted defenses let loose their own vollies.

The attackers answered the attacks with more attacks on their part, as well as sending some more infantry to try and scale the walls with ladders and such.

The walls defenders stuck to their attacks. All of them believed that their defense was indestructible and impenetrable. Which Juushu knew that it wasn't, the weak points of the defensive barriers was the mana supply of the mages, the walls were weakest near the gates.

The defenders just kept defending, while the attackers just kept attacking.

The month had almost ended, and the anniversary was almost upon them. That was when Juushu made his move. He had been just observing his troops defend their home, his home, he had not participated in the defensive battle. But now that it was nearing the anniversary he was finally going to go on the offensive.

In full view of the people around him, he split himself into ten. These were not clone constructs, but actual duplicates of himself, he had literally divided himself into ten parts, nine of which wore an armband on their arms bearing the kanji of a number and shu, the numbers ranged from one to nine. The tenth one's armband had the kanji for Juu and shu, ten and master. Juushu was like Rokudou no Sennin, one soul many bodies.

Body number one jumped off the wall and became the earth, he would then come out outside the capital of Naiya no Kuni.

Body number two jumped off the wall and became the wind, he would then materialize outside the capital of Nasu no Kuni.

Body number three jumped off the wall and became water, he traveled as the vapor and moisture in the air, and would later condense outside of the capital of Tetsu.

Body number four jumped off the wall and became fire, he burst into flames and travelled undergroud veins of the world, and would later erupt like a volcano outside of the capital of Sakura no Kuni.

Body number five jumped off the wall and shimmered out of sight, he joined the sunlight and would shimmer back into solidity outside the capital of Tenshi no Kuni.

Body number six jumped off the wall and flew to the heavens via a sudden bolt of lightning, he would later scorch the earth outside the capital of Komugi no Kuni as a lighting ignites the spot that he would appear on.

Body number seven jumped off the wall and became one with the shadow, he would later walk out of the shadow of a tree outside the capital of Sakana no Kuni.

Body number eight jumped off the wall and poofed into smoke, as the smoke blew away on the ground a withered log would be found in place of the body, he instantly appeared outside the capital of Nairan no Kuni beside a fallen tree.

Body number nine walked off the wall and just vanished, he sealed away his body and detached his spirit, he would later reunite with his body outside the capital of Sakihin no Kuni.

Body number ten jumped off the wall and landed on the ground, he vanished his cloak, and removed his shirt, then he released the seals that lined his body, some of them glowing and looked like tattoos. He then drew his katana with one hand, then took held his enlarged kunai in the other. Then with a thounderous roar, that was echoed by the heavens, he charged the enemy.

The wall defenders were astonished at the feats that their leader had performed before their very eyes. But quickly their amazement and astonishment turned into shock, shock that their leader himself was running towards the enemy with only two blades to defend himself.

The armies of the nine lands thought that the man had lost his mind, so they readied themselves for the kill that was coming their way. But with the thought that he had turned into a mad man, the soldiers would have to be more cautious, because there was nothing more dangerous than one of the demented that fought with reckless abandon.

The soldiers on the walls began to panic, some of the ones nearest the gate were frantically openning the gates, some others didn't bother waiting for the gates to be fully opened. As soon as a small opening was formed some of the footsoldiers ran out after their leader to defend him, even though they thought that he had lost his mind, he was still their leader.

The clones that were among the wall defenders didn't even wait for the gates to open, they jumped or leapt off of the walls and ran in different directions to directly engage the enemy. This action surprised the people even more. The clones were distinguishable by the bands or patches that bore the kanji of one of the numbr one to nine.

The people in the city heard roars, greater in number and just as powerful as the first one. As they looked up they saw the flights of dragons and rocs flying over the city heading in the direction of the attackers.

As soon as the gates were fully opened, the cavalry made a break for it. Their leader was already half way to the attacking army, the running infantry was not even that close.

The attackers witnessed the skyline in the direction and surrounding the walled city grow dark, they could make out a number of shapes in the sky, some of the soldiers that had encountered the dragons and rocs instantly knew what they were. The terrors from the skies, the two things that they could barely defend against were heading their way.

The generals and officers immediately started barking out orders for the long range weapons to be armed and ready, the infantry to prepare. Their goal was to take out as many of the charging defenders as they could.

Just when they thought that it couldn't get any worse, some of the forward scouts sent word back to the rest of the army that the cavalry did not only consist of men on horses, but battlecats, direwolves, onisasori and onigumo, and a few other things that the men and women of Rosuto no Kuni had managed to tame.

As the dragons and rocs flew over the some of the scouting parties nearer to the wall, the scouts noticed a peculiar things, the dragons and rocs were moving at a slower pace than normal. It was as if they were delaying their attack for some reason, as if they were giving the nine lands a chance to prepare themselves for a slaughter. Another thing that they noticed was that every dragon was somwhow holding onto a croc, one of those supercrocs. Those crocs were known for having hides that were harder than diamonds, the dragons resembled bombers, their bombs being these supercrocs. The scouts swiftly sent word to the armies about the impending doom that was going to befall, them.

The slowly encroaching numbers were creeping the attackers out, some of them were thinking of surrendering or simply running away. But the number that chose to stay and fight were just as many. They all thought that it was better to fight, than run and be viewed as a coward, if they won, hooray, if they lost they lost, and would most likely be killed if they managed to survive the battle anyway. It was war. It wasn't like the Rosuto forces were just aiming to incapacitate or knock then out or something like that.

Beneath the walls were a number of sewer holes, most people thought that those holes were just so that the sewer water could escape to go wherever such waters went, the truth was what the wall defenders that didn't rush out witnessed. From out of the holes emerged snakes and serpents of all colors and sizes. The most prominent ones being basilisks.

The officers on the walls knew about the basilisks, not all the soldiers knew of them or anything about them for that matter, but the officers all knew.

The basilisks lined the walls waiting, while the other smaller snakes and serpents slithered their way towards the enemy. The officers ordered some of the archers to jump on the serpents' backs, they would provide long range support for their comrades. The officers handed out sachels of poison for the archers to use, the poison was not lethal but had paralyzing effects, some of the poisons that were handed out would knock the ones hit by the arrows unconscious. Oh, how wrong the attackers were, they wouldn't be killed if they lost, something much more would be taken from them. Their identities. Their identities as citizens of the nine lands would cease to be who they were, instead they would be citizens of Rosuto no Kuni and mere residents of the nine provinces.

Each basilisk had around fifteen archers on their backs, the serpents themselves using their own innate chakra to hold the archers onto their backs. The basilisks knew more about chakra than the rest of the populace.

It wasn't really all that fair, the sheer number of units that Juushu had deployed was more than enough to make half of the attackers to shit themselves. The living had been scared out of most of them, the others were waiting for the dead to be scared out of them.

Once the tenth body of Rosuto Juushu finally reached the attackers, he let out another roar, the thunderous echo of the heavens answering his call, the dragons and rocs heard it, and dived at the attackers, dropping those big ass hell crocs on the soldiers of the nine lands.

The crocs too had some basic understanding on how to use and manipulate their chakra, they used what control they had to make sure that the soldiers they landed on were not dead but just somewhat comatose, with the possibility of revival if one of Giman Ryuu's medical corps saw to them.

The dragons belched out hail stones and snow balls that flew into the ranks of the enemy, knocking over five or more people at a time.

The rocs and their riders darted in and out of the battlefield, picking up unconscious and otherwise incapacitated soldiers, and swiftly brought them to just outside the walls of the city, where medics had set up a kind of field hospital.

The Rosuto leader mowed his way into the attackers, slicing tendons, and whacking people into darkness left and right. The only people that would die were the generals, and some of the people who's hearts were as cold as or if not colder than ice, he knew this due to one of the powers that he had cultivated through training, his troops would know who to take out and who to just knock out, how, well they would just get this feeling in their gut.

The beasts were kinda more in tune with the world around them, so they more or less could sense these things, so Juushu didn't need to manipulate anything for them to follow the plan.

The Rosuto leader was laughing while he was doing the bloody work that he was doing. He was dancing on the battlefiel, utilizing his kenjutsu training and implementing non-lethal attacks.

The clones were a rabid bunch on pranksters on the battlefield, most of the things that those units were known for by the other soldiers were not apparent in the way that the clones were knocking people out, water balloons, paint bombs, smoke bombs, stink bombs, dung bombs, candy canes, dango, conffetti, and other such things were flying everywhere. The clones moved in groups of five, one was always on the look out for danger while the other four made a party out of the fighting.

The soldiers of the armies of the nine lands were even more frightened once they realized how the clones were fighting, they were pranking people on the battlefield with such ease, grace, and speed, that it was more than just creepy or scary.

The clones were on a literal and figurative sugar high. They were bouncing all over the place, on each other, on their human comrades, on the attackers. They were even somehow, to the astonishment to their allies, able to convince the crocs into playing baseball with them, bombs and balloons instead of balls.

The clones that were on the dragons were creeping out the human riders with them, due to the things that they were doing to the snowballs and hail balls that were flying out of the dragons' mouths. Ever seen a ranbow colored snowball, well those riders saw a lot of spherical rainbows.

Some of the dragon riders were helping the rocs and their riders in collecting the knocked out people, as well as any injured that they came across. The dragons did not swoop down, the clones bungee jumped off of the dragons' backs, and retreived these downed foes and friends.

The clones were literal loons. It wasn't a battle to them and their creator, it was a party. The only thing missing were the drinks, cake, and party hats.

The basilisks formed a perimeter around the city, with the archers on their backs knocking people out forwards, backwards, left, right, up, down. Upon seeing the clones and their antics, they just shook their head, or hissed in amusement. Some of the smaller snakes that were with them traded places with the poison tipped arrow and flew through the air, then impaling their fangs into the body parts of the enemy. The archers didn't really notice, that was until a small basilisk was loaded onto a ballista by a group of clones.

The footsoldiers that caught up with their leader were too tired to even lift their swords, but it would have been of no use, the man was just too fast for them to keep up. The chaos that the arrows, the dragons, crocs, and the rest were just too much for them to handle. So they just plopped on the ground watched the fireworks, fireworks that were flying into the night sky which were being set off by the riders of the scorpions and the spiders. A few minutes after the fireworks started someone dropped off a keg of beer and a drum of sake near them, along with some of the dango that weren't thrown hither and tither.

A few more minutes after the arrival of drinks and food, the soldiers saw some of the clones actually wearing party hats. When one approched they were given some hats to wear themselves. By that time some of the beasts were sporting hats of their own.

The battle was drawing to a close, this was evident, when Rosuto Juushu himself plopped down beside one soldier wearing a party hat. Their esteemed leader had a party hat of his own on.

It was a few hours til the anniversary hit. Lunch time was the exact time or hour in which he wars all started, but the citizens and soldiers of Rosuto no Kuni were already partying as if they had already won the war. The only thing that they were waiting for was word from the other lands of liberation from the rulers.

* * *

While the tenth body did his thing, the first body, had also engaged his enemy in battle. The daimyou of Naiya was a master swordsman in his own right, none of the daimyous were pushovers to begin with, each of them had a strength all their own.

Juushu's katana clashed with that of the Naiya daimyou. Sparks flew each time the two blades met. It was a battle to the death, one in which Juushu would not and could not lose.

The battle began in the bed chambers of the daimyou, just after he had had his morning rituals and such. It was a good thing that he had his katana nearby, else Juushu would not have had his really explosive fight.

The battle was long and drawn out. It wasn't as nuts as the large scale dfensive battle that the tenth body was fighting in, it was one filled with skill and precision. Serious expressions were on the faces of the two men.

The two men moved as one with their blades, their swords being just an extension of their arms, just another part of their bodies that were moved in certain ways and could be used to perform certain actions.

It was a battle not only of skills but also of wills. Juushu employed his chakra and Chi to power his attacks, while the daimyou used his Chi and Ki to the same effect.

The two fighters were nearly evenly matched in skill. Juushu did not want to mock his opponent, he wanted his oppenent to think that he had given it is all, and when he died he had died with all honor intact.

A similar battle had been going on in Nasu no Kuni, Komugi no Kuni, Sakana no Kuni, and Sakihin no Kuni. The battles were between two men, fighting for their continued existence, with all the honor that they held.

* * *

In Tetsu no Kuni, Juushu had to deal with, not a katana wielding daimyou but a battle hammer wielding one. The battle was not just one of skill, but one of strength and will as well.

Each hammer swing was blocked with the flat of the katana, each katana slash was blocked by the neck of the hammer. Aside from the weapons doing battle, there were some kicks and punches in there as well.

The daimyou's castle had been partially destroyed, when Juushu was finally able to fell his foe. The brute had given it his all, but he had made the one mistake that should not be made in a fight, he turned his back on the enemy, and Juushu having a shinobi background capitalized on this one opening.

Sakura no Kuni was somewhat similar in the battle situation to Tetsu, the difference being that the daimyou was more of a master of speed than anything else, and his weapon of choice was a spiked whip rather than a hammer or a blade.

The whip was made by an incredibly durable and fine material, that Juushu's blade was for some reason unable to cut. The weapons of the two combatants never made contact, there was a lot of dodging running, and jumping involved in the fight, as well as thrown and toppled objects. Just like the other castles, part of it would take a few years to repair.

The speed, agility, and reflexes aided the Sakura daimyou in fighting gracefully as if he was dancing in the air. Juushu too was dancing. Trough the different openings that the battle had blown open in the walls of the castle, sakura petal were brought in by the wind. No matter how anyone looked at it, the battle was both beautiful and still deadly.

The battle ended when Juushu decided that enough was enough, and ended the daimyou's life by suffocation. He mummafied the daimyou with sakura petals.

The battle in Tenshi no Kuni was also one of speed, but also of precision. The attacks, slashs, strikes, and the like that were delivered and employed by each fighter were lightning quick.

Sadame being a woman, was very graceful and agile, but so was one who once held a kitsune. Juushu met each attack with one of his own.

The two rivals for power attacked with such speed that power was not a factor that was needed, vacums in he air were formed after every attack, some of which were strong enough to rip up the surrounding area.

The two fighters, battled it out, on the roof, in rooms, in th kitchen, they just moved, and moved and moved. Sadame proved why the warriors of Tenshi were devils on the battlefield. Her lightning quick attacks showed off her ferocity, the vacums in the air were like the spells that devils and demons cast.

The two fought for supremacy in a battle akin to a chaos storm, the spectators of the fight, could not interfere, one thing their pride and honor would not let them, another thing was that they feared for their lives at how deadly the dance looked.

Mori looked on and watched as his mother became a devil, Tamotsu looked on as he watched his friend and lord join wind and lightning.

The end of the battle happened on one of the roofs of what was left of the castle, Sadame was not struck down in anyway by Juushu. She tripped and fell to her death, impaling herself with her own blade on the way down.

What set the battle in Nairan apart from the rest was that it was a two on one battle. The double daimyous against Juushu.

The descendants of the brothers that had plunged their land in war over some matter that was rarely discussed fought with two katanas each, while Juushu fought with his one katana and his kunai.

Tama looked on and watched the clash of the titans. The double daimyous were swordmasters to the degree that due to being extremely familiar with each others' styles they were able to work as one body and one mind against Juushu.

They had the strength, the speed, the agiliy, the reflexes, the precision, the skill, the control, and the will to fight on even footing with Juushu.

This was the only battle where Juushu had to force himself to heal slower, it wouldn't do if the whole world knew that he could instantly heal himself. He suffered many cuts due to the four blades that he was facing off against.

An insane battle of life and death, Juushu was unable to move behind the duo due to one guarding the other's back, Juushu also had to guard his own back. He couldn't summon up a clone to fight by his side, since it needed to look like he did it all by himself, not everyone knew about clones of any kind.

The world was still inhabited by shinobi clans that kept the secret of ninjutsu, genjutsu and chakra to themselves. Juushu couldn't bringout his aces in this battle. He had to fight with all that he could humanly possibly use.

The duo fought like brothers, like twins, like peas in a pod, they were born to battle side by side. Their blades even looked to have been made with the same fire, by the same smith. These were possibly the reason as to why each of their factions could never overpower the other.

The anniversary was nearing, Juushu knew that his other bodies had already ended their battles. He had to end his as soon as possible.

He decided to take a leaf out of the life of his old self's book. He did something entirely reckless and stupid. Something that would leave normal people lying on the ground dead. He let himself be impaled by the four blades. The shock of the action allowed an opening which, through the pain Juushu used and struck, his blades piercing the hearts of the two relatives.

Tama rushed to his side and slid the blades out, he was signalled one of his subordinates to inform the capital of the win. The people around were buzzing like bees talking about the fight. The wars had ended and Rosuto no Kuni had won.

Tama had the privelage of patching his lord up, bandaging him like a mummy, even though Juushu kept protesting that he was fine, in a bit of pain, but fine. Tama would have none of it and told his lord that if he kept complaining his mouth would fall of or some such drivel.

On the exact second it was announced that Rosuto no kuni was made up of the unification of the nine lands. Rosuto Juushu had won. The party hit an all time high. All over the ashes that once was nine, a phoenix rose and was born Rosuto no kuni.

The land itself had changed after the announcement. The barriers that would block out the rest of the world for a thousand years would not rise, until Juushu made it so. There was a lot of repopulating to be done. A lot of displaced and separated families to reunite. All of it would take place after the party, and things had settled down.

The celebration lasted for a month, and in some places even more. But the highlight of it all was when the ten bodies merged back into one.

The tenth body put on his shirt, and donned his cloak, then walked steadily back to the city. As he walked the people around him saw the different thing happen one after the other.

The first thing that happened was that the ninth body appeared out of nowhere and just melted into the walking form. A few meters later the seventh ody made its appearance via a shadow on the ground crept its way towards walking one, the shadow on the ground resembled a running man, that pounced suddenly on the walking one. A few more meters later the sixth body joined the tenth, the body did not eaxctly manifest, but like the shadow it just struck, literally like lightning from the blue. A few more meters a body shimmered into existence then just merged with the tenth body. Another few meters and another one, then another one. A fireball engulfed the tenth body, then a one spot torrential rain, followed by a tornado, then the earth rose up before him and swallowed him whole only to spit him back out.

The best of the these events was the last one. The people had counted the return of only eight bodies, where was the ninth one they all wondered.

Juushu's tenth body was a few feet from the gates when suddenly an elemental dragon made of earth rose up from the ground, with a fire dragon following in its wake. From the clouds above a lightning dragon shot out, followed by a water one. The last elemental dragon to appear was the wind one, another tornado made itself known, out of the whirling vortex came the fifth dragon.

These five elemental dragons flew on their own aided by some form of magic, then slammed into the tenth body, finally making it whole. The process of being accepted back into the whole took just enough time for Juushu to enter the gate of the city.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 16**

For the first time during his little quest Jiraiya found himself totally separated from the group. He was utterly alone. The previous night, he and the guys were preparing to head over to Hi no Kuni, but just as he was about to sleep, he found himself sucked into a rabbit hole of all things. How the heck it got in the hotel room, he'd never really get to know, but the point was that he was sucked into a rabbit hole and found himself alone, with all of his things sealed in a tiny scroll attached to his waist. That big ass hell scroll that he usually carried around was just too big.

Unlike the places that he had found himself in previously, or the events and experiences that he had undergone, Jiraiya found himself in a relatively peaceful place. There didn't seem to be any larger than life things trying to kill him, there weren't any evidences or signs of wars, there was nothing that could possibly point to danger of any kind. The only thing that bothered him was that the lack of danger signs was the perfect sign for danger. What kind of danger he didn't know.

So the super pervert decided to do some exploring. If he was to be stuck in wherever he was, he might as well get to know the place. Get a feel of the peacefulness that the environment made him feel.

As he trudged through the terrain he chanced upon, as he usually did, a hotspring. It wasn't all borded up or enclosed in walls, it was an all natural hotspring. Like most of the hotsprings that the super pervert usually came across there was a beautiful specimen of the female species bathing in it.

Jiraiya used up all the common sense that he had and snuck up to a place nearer to the hotspring to take a closer look. An event such as that would be perfect for his next book.

He would probably have to describe her as a blue haired goddess, bathing in nature's spring. She looked to be the product of the fountain of youth. While she bathed her long blue hair covered her C-cups, at least it looked that way to Jiraiya.

As he observed and wrote in his little notepad, he failed to notice another pair of eyes also watching the beauty. This pair lacked all sense of perverseness in them, instead they had a predatory glint to them.

Jiraiya was completely oblivious to the events that were about to transpire around him.

The other pair of eyes moved closer to the beauty, they were poised and ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Jiraiya was still in writing mode, he was totally focused on the bombshell in the hotspring. It seemed as if he possessed some form of ADHD, he hyperfocused when he was writing his literary works.

The scene played out. The owner of the pair of eyes made himself known. He was dressed in the garb of royalty, he looked to be some kind of prince.

The beauty quickly sank into the waters to cover herself, and preserve her dignity, and innocence from the prying eyes and possibly hands of the man that stood before her.

The man made his way towards the beauty, but just before he would have been able to grab her, another man came out of the foliage. He too was dressed in the garb befitting a prince. The uncanny thing about the two men was that they were identical twins.

To Jiraiya is appeared as if the brothers were both after the same girl. Of course they couldn't share.

A third person arrived on the scene, it was getting a little crowded, but Jiraiya didn't really mind or notice for that matter.

The new arrival was an old man. His clothes were of an even higher standard than the two young men.

"She is already promised to another!" Jiraiya heard the old man say.

The two brothers protested saying things like they were older, as well as being of the line to inherit the seat of power in the land.

But the old man, would have none of it. He ordered the two young men to leave the hotsprings, and find some other maiden to have as their respective wives.

Apparently the beauty that Jiraiya was spying upon was the most beautiful maiden in all the lands. There was no other that could surpass her beauty.

After the twins left, a third young man arrived on the scene, he had twin katanas drawn as if ready for a fight. This young man was the fiance of the goddess in the water. He had come to defend her honor, from the twins, but had arrived after the twins had already left.

The old man was still there though. He berated the young man for even going to the spring. Apparently the only reason why the old man could go there as he pleased was because his vision was waning, he was slowly losing his sight, he was going blind. The three young men were not, and their very presences near the springs were attacks on the purity of the maiden who was bathing there.

"Even though you are my youngest and favorite child, I order you to wait for your wedding night!" the old man ordered his son, or so Jiraiya heard.

Once the young man left, the old man spoke to the girl.

"I apologize for the rash behavior of my sons," he said to her, then he too left the scene, leaving the girl once again alone in the hotspring.

Jiraiya was the only one that appeared to be there.

He then heard her say to no one in particular, "I wish that old man would let me be, if it weren't for the money, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."

A ways away Jiraiya could heard sounds of fighting, still in writing mode he left the vicinity of the hotsprings to investigate.

He was greeted to the sight of the three brothers fighting one another. Rather the twins were fighting alongside one another and were trying to skewer the youngest of them.

The twins attacked in tandem, the two of them moving gracefully as if they were partners in some dance of death. The youngest of the three was defending with reckless abandon, reckless in the sense that he sported many cuts and wounds as it were.

The bloody dance ended when the youngest of the three fighters lay dead at the twins' feet.

Jiraiya went back to the hotsprings once the battle was over, when he got there the old man was there once again, this time the maiden was clothed. It appeared as if they had been speaking for quite some time.

Some waiting on Jiraiya's part bore some fruit, the twins soon made an appearance. Their father knew of the death of the youngest, and told his two remaining sons that since they loved fighting so much, the girl, as well as hiership would go to which ever of the two brothers remained standing.

Jiraiya witnessed the fight, the deadly dance of death was now performed by the twins, except instead of fighting as one, they were fighting as two halves of a whole. The dance was very graceful, elegant even, but quite deadly. In the end, the two brothers stopped. They then attacked their father and the maiden as one. If niether could have her, she wouldn't gp to waste, her remains would help the plants grow strong.

The brothers then decided to find other maidens to be their wives, they did not wish to fight to the death without the possibility of a successor to take their place. The twins were very competitive.

For some reason time seemed to flow differently for Jiraiya, he witnessed things and events that were happening in what should have been a long time, there were intervals, and moments that should have been days, but only passed by in mere minutes.

The brothers' competitive spirits escalated when they had their own families to continue their legacy. The two branches of the daimyou clan would fight it out, to see who would rightfully rule the land.

After witnessing what he had seen, Jiraiya decided to just write the book, and find some way to bind it and possibly publish it during the place and time that he was in.

Little did he know that his little orange book would be one of the catalysts and reasons behind the strife of Nairan no Kuni.

For at the end of the book it was written, "As the brothers did battle, the Land of Civil War was born."

After the book was released to the public the twin daimyous called a ceasefire in order for them to confiscate all the orange books, one of the few that Jiraiya wrote that wasn't all smut, and had those that read them either sworm to secrecy or killed outright.

Jiraiya had to flee the country, but he couldn't take his masterpiece of history with him, so he placed some preservation seals and the like on one copy of his work, and buried it in a spot of earth somewhere in the country. He vowed to one day find it, and rerelease it to the world.

It really did make an interesting read.

A few days after leaving Nairan no Kuni, Jiraiya bolted upright in the bed that he had fallen asleep in. He looked around and found that he had mysteriously found himself back in his hotel room.

'_That was some rabbit hole..._' Ero-Sennin thought to himself.

The room was just as he remembered it to be, it seemed as if his solo adventure had just been some freaky dream.

'_Maybe I shouldn't have asked Ikkaku about the other provinces..._' the super pervert thought to himself.

A few minutes later the super pervert once again found himself sleeping soundly under the covers of the bed. But when he awoke to what should have been the next day he found himself in a barren land.

His last thought before going into deep sleep mode was that he felt kind of dizzy as if he was spinning round and round, falling into a deep black pit of nothingness. When he openned his eyes, he was expecting a new day in the hotel room, but what he got was a desolate plain.

The earth was dry and cracked. Even the air was dry. There wasn't a spot of green for miles around him. There weren't even any bones of any form of dead animal or creature lying around. All evidence pointed to the conclusion that the place hadn't seen a glimpse of life for many many years, save maybe for him.

Jiraiya didn't believe that it was possible for him to be in an empty and barren wasteland devoid of all life, since he was still expecting something to happen to him again. Like maybe some giant komodo dragon to erupt out of the dry earth to try and swallow him whole or something like that.

But as he travelled the desolate wasteland, he encountered nothing of the sort. He even started to think that it was his karma for all the peeking he did in his life. Where once there was an abundance of beauties that he abused, now there was nothing, nothing at all except the barren and dry earth and himself.

It was a sexually frustrating place, there was absolutely nothing that could make him think of happy thoughts, it seemed as if even his happy place had turned into the wasteland that appeared before him.

Jiraiya trudged through this land of scorched earth, there weren't even any mirages to take his mind off of the barreness of the place.

There was nothing to distract him from his dilemna of why was he there in the first place, and why oh why was he subjected to such torture. That is until he bumped into something, or more like someone.

The person that he had bumped into while he was observing his surroundings for any sign of life was a young man wearing clothes apparently made of silk, pink silk.

"Eh, sorry bout that, didn't see you there," Jiraiya apologized.

"That's alright. I just arrived. I didn't think I'd find someone else here," the person said.

"Me too, although I think I've been here for quite awhile."

"Listen, I seem to have stumbled on a dilemna of sorts, you think you could help me? You look like a Sennin I once knew."

"Sure, and f-y-i, I am a sennin."

"See, I've got a selection of seeds, but I can only plant two of the seeds in this barren and desolate place," he then showed Jiraiya the seeds.

"How are you going to plant seeds in this place? They're just going to die."

"Well, the seeds have magical properties, so I think they'll grow just fine."

"Ok, so these seeds are of different kinds of plants, but you can only plant two?" Jiraiya verified, "Do I understand it correctly?"

"Yes."

"So...? How do I help you? They all look the same to me."

"Sorry about that, that's the problem, I can't pick two since they all look the same."

"So how am I supposed to help you?"

After a short moment of silence, Jiraiya jumped up into the air, pointing to the heavens, and proclaimed in a voice that should belong to a god.

"I have an idea!"

*blink blink* *stare stare* "How did you do that?"

"Err...I...don't know..."

"Well, anyway, what is this idea that even the heavens agreed that it is a good one?"

"We each pick on seed, then pour a bit of our essense into it, with the hope that somehow the seed is a good one."

"Random sampling...I like it! Alright, you pick one then I'll pick one."

The two people in the barren land picked one random seed each, Jiraiya then infused some of his chakra with his seed via medical chakra, while the other guy did something to his seed.

"Now what?" Jiraiya asked.

"Now, I go about planting. Then we'll see the results in a few minutes."

The other person then took the two essense infused seeds and shoved them into the ground, seeing as there was no water supply available in the barren land, he somehow cut his palm and poured some of his blood on the spot where the seeds lay, followed by some blood that he forcibly took from Jiraiya with a syringe that was produced from thin air.

In a matter of minutes the two seeds grew, one tree was green while the other one was blue.

"Uh...I've never seen a blue tree before..." Jiraiya admitted.

"Heh...me too...uhm...maybe I should paint it pink or something..."

"You can do that?"

"Yeah...just don't tell anyone that I painted the thing pink..."

"Its not like there's anyone here for me to tell..."

"Forgot about that."

So the other person who was not Jiraiya painted the blue tree pink.

"So...now what?"

"Now...I shall merge the two trees into one tree. A blue green tree would not look like a good tree. But a green and pink one would look pleasing and relaxing to the eyes, am I nt right?"

"You are right, but how are you going to merge the two trees, not that I doubt the possibility of such a thing happening.."

"Err...I don't know...just blink or something I guess...wanna help?"

"Sure...so...on the count of three?"

"One" both men said.

"Two" both men said.

"Three" both men said, then they blinked once.

After they finished their blink the barren wasteland had been transformed into a beautiful grove filled with trees with pink flowers.

"Nice...Sakura trees..." Jiraiya said.

"You named our creation before I could! The hell?!" the other guy exclaimed.

"Oh...sorry...didn't know I wasn't supposed to do that..."

"Well, what's done is done I guess, no use crying over spilt milk and all that rot."

"Yeah...uhm..so where are we?"

"I name this land Sakura no Kuni!"

After the word kuni was spoken Jiraiya once again found himself sitting bolt upright in his bed in the hotel room, and it was still nighttime.

'_I'mma gonna kill Ikkaku in the morning...that's two dreams that had to do with the provinces of Rosuto no Kuni..._' Jiraiya promised himself mentally.

Before once again returning to dreamland, Jiraiya chanted mentally that he would appear somewhere else aside from places that were considered lost.

Once sleep claimed him, his chanting worked somehow, since instead of a barren plain or something like that he ended up in the outskirts of a village that looked to have just been founded.

As he walked around the place, he noticed many things that caught his eye, many of the things and places in the village looked familiar to him. There were buildings whose structures looked familiar, there were even some people that looked like people that he knew.

There were some people that he saw jumping from one rooftop to the other, while others walked on the ground. One thing that stood out in the place compared to the other places that he had been were that there were people, lots and lots of people, there were more people than the other places he had been in had. But not as much as most villages of his time he supposed.

The village that he was in looked to be in its founding stages, people were running or walking here and there, helping one another in the construction work.

Jiraiya asked some people what the name of the village was, each person answered that there was no name yet, it had yet to be named. The leaders had yet to think up a name for the place. Some people speculated that the place was going to be named the Village Hidden in the Forest, since the village was situated in a forest, the hidden part being since it was prominently a village of shinobi. There were some people that thought that the village might be named after the country that it was in, the coutry which was named after the volcanos and the like that were found in the country. There even those that guessed that the village was going to be named after one of the natural disasters that had been known to roam the land in which in the village was a part of.

These clues led Jiraiya to the realization of where he now stood. It was a baby that he did not think that he would ever get to see. The village was but a baby, a newborn one to be exact. A child still waiting for its name, its identity in a word so vast and wonderous, that to be remembered a name was needed. He also realized that his mere presence could do something to the future of the place, so he had to disguise himself in a way that would allow himself not to be remembered for what he looked like. The action that he would take would consist of little things that shouldn't have a major impact on the events that would follow in the village as well as the rest of the world. This was one place that he wished to help, but did not dare to due to some things that should still happen.

He used a henge to hide his regular features. Instead of a shock of white hair, he sported a shock of brown hair, seeing as many in the village had brown hair. His clothes he modified to look like those of the times.

He walked and asked around about where the leaders could be found, he did this inorder for him to be able to see some people that he missed. This might be the only chance that he would have to see the people he wanted to see again. He wouldn't make his presence known at all, if he could help it. He just wanted to see them.

He claimed that he had just arrived, which was true, when people asked him why he wanted to see the leaders of the village. After hearing such a response they thought that he wanted to make sure that the leaders knew that there was a new resident, possibly from some other nomadic clan that wished to join the village.

Jiraiya made his way to what looked like the Hokage tower while it was still underconstruction. Of course at this time there was still no Hokage, the Shodai had yet to be appointed or announced.

He asked some of the people working on the construction for direction to the wherever the leaders were. He was then directed to where they were.

Apparently they were having a meeting at the peak of the what would one day be known as the Hokage Mountain.

Once he spotted the leaders of the village, one of them being an Uchiha, two others being Senju, he swiftly used his peeping jutsu to hide his presence. The Jutsu was one of his original creations, it was something that not even the Byakugan could see through, its purpose was to totally hide his presence from Kunoich and other chakra sensing females that he spied upon, back during the days that he couldn't hide his chakra or presence all that well.

He stealthily snuck up of the meeting to listen in on the going ons, and whatnot. Part of what they were arguing about was what to name the village as well as the title of the leader of the village.

He heard that they were about to come to a decision regarding the name of the village and the title of the leader of the village. But it was not the name that Jiraiya was familiar with. They were going to name the village, Village Hidden in the Forest, and the leader was going to be the Hikage, essentially it meant the same thing, but historically to Jiraiya it was something that would have been found on a whole other world.

He had to act, he needed the village to be the village he knew and loved not one that was run by a Hikage and was named Morigakure no Sato.

So he made his presence known, he was heard but that was it, he forgot that he was still under a nin-gen-jutsu.

"WAIT!" he shouted surprising the people present, "You can't name this place Mori! What kind of idiots are you?"

The clan leaders present looked around trying to find the one speaking, none of them thought of the possibility that he speaker was under a genjutsu or something, seeing as the Uchiha in the group could not see him.

"Who are you? What are you?" the elder Senju asked.

"I," Jiraiya paused, he was standing right before them and they looked to be unable to see him, he then instantly realized that he was invisible, "am the Spirit of Fire!"

The clan leaders instantly kneeled believing that they were in the presence of the actual Spirit of Fire, the wielder of the flame, the source of the will of fire.

"What then ancient spirit should the village be named?" inquired the Uchiha.

"Konohagakure no Sato, should be its name, hidden in the leaves is harder to find than one in a forest, for what forest is great enough to hide a village? This one and the one in Mori no Kuni."

"By your will," the clan leaders said.

"Hikage is also not something that I myself would approve."

"Then what should your representative in this world be called O' Great Spirit of the Flames?" some other clan leader spoke, "You possessor of the brightest and hottest beautiful flames of youth!"

"Hokage, would be the appropriate title, for one to lead a village that will grow, and reach such hieghts, that other lands will both fear and respect it."

"By your will," the clan leaders said.

"That is all that I came here for, I shall leave you now, but watch you, and see you grow," Jiraiya said, then he modified the Konoha Shunshin, so instead of a swirl of leaves, he disappeared in a vortex of fire.

On the other end of the jutsu he found himself not anywhere in Konohagakure no Sato, but sitting bolt upright in his bed in the hotel room that all four men and one woman were staying in.

'_E.............no wonder that bit of history is never taught at the academy, no one would have believed them..._' Jiraiya thought to himself.

Before sleeping he changed his chant, into finding himself somewhere else, not in Hi no Kuni or Rosuto no Kuni, somewhere else, possibly with hot naked girls with jiggling breasts, and other such perverted things, since his wife wouldn't mind that he was thinking or dreaming them.

Sleep claimed him, and in what seemed like a few hours in dreamland, the one with all the bombshells and their jiggling bossoms, a storm suddenly arrived scaring away all the girls and beautiful things, the storm was a strong one filled with thunder and lightning, in the darkness that had formed Jiraiya witnessed a hundred eyes open and a sharktooth filled grin appear in the darkness that the storm had created. Then the mouth in the darkness moved, and a voice was heard, one that was a mixture of a raspy sound and the sound of a thousand lions roaring in different tunes.

"See you in Hell Jiraiya-chan!" the Voice spoke, '_well not literally...but he doesn't need to know that._'

After those words were said Jraiya found himself plummeting to his doom. He was spiralling down into an abyss like tunnel or pit, leading to the very depths of hell.

All too soon, his descent into the underworld halted, and he found himself sitting on a chair, infront of a person wearing clothes that resembled some really ancient Tang Dynasty judge clothing. Jiraiya only knew of such a reference due to some reading and some relic type paintings that he had seen. It was like some of those countries that existed long before things today existed, like Japan and China for example. Countries like those were only mentioned in the most ancient of texts, Jiraiya being a sage of a sort had looked through such things, the bit about the Tang Dynasty judge clothing was in some mythology text about hell.

'_I'm in hell...and that guy in front of me looks like Enma Daio..._' Jiraiya mused.

"Yo!" the being in front of Jiraiya said in greeting.

"Uh...Hello...uh...where am I and what am I doing here?" Jiraiya asked.

"I am Enma Daio, you are in hell, and before you start screaming and such I want you to listen to the reason as to why you are here," Enma Daio said.

Jiraiya looked like a goldfish with his mouth closing and opening like the aforementioned fish. Hearing the name Enma Daio brought his brain to a complete stop.

"I'll take your silence as a sign that you heard and understood me," Enma said, "You are here since you are the biggest pervert alive to date, I have not encountered anyone who is a bigger pervert than you, you have been able to influence a great number of people in your world. The main reason as to why you have been sent here is that I want your input on what should be done to a group of sinners that have found there way into this lovely place I love to call home."

".....so.....what did they....uh....do in life?" Jiraiya managed to ask.

"Rape, and some forms of sexual abuse, and the like...so what do you think should happen to them?"

"Uh....for the men I guess you should have their sexual organs tied to something, and have them spun round and round for a long long time, the pull of gravity on their bodies should make the expeience quite painful," Jiraiya said, all the while wondering where his sudden burst of confidence came from.

"If you are wondering where your sudden burst of confidence came from, one of the people that you have helped sometime in your life is lending you some of his, just so you know who is helping you in this situation I shall tell you his name, his name is Somei Yoshino."

"Oh...ok...."

"For the women?"

"Ah yes! For the women...I really can't think of anything...other than have them experience the pain of childbirth over and over again, and once they have gotten used to the pain, increase it tenfold."

"Thank you for your opinion, when you die I shall recommend you to the Human Resource department of this Hell for hiring or consulting. Thank you for coming. I am Enma Daio, and I hope that you have enjoyed your stay in Hell, good bye."

After hearing the words 'good bye' Jiraiya found himself flying upwards, all the while he was screaming since he was experiencing punishment number one, he was rushing t'ward the heavens, or earth aka the land of the living, while his genitals were tied on a rock that continually pulled on the cord.

A few agonizing hours later, Jiraiya found himself sitting bolt upright in his bed in the hotel room screaming his lung out, the other occupants did not hear his cries of agony and anguish, due to a number of sound proofing jutsus around their bed, which were placed that in order for all of them to wake in the morning at their leisure.

After Jiraiya's screaming died down, or more like his lungs flew out of his mouth and he had to swallow them to get them back in, he decided against continuing his screaming in fear that his lung would pop out again, something that he had previously thought impossible.

After making sure that his body parts were all intact and completely functional, Jiraiya skipped his little chant and returned to sleep via Neiri no Jutsu.

Once he was asleep he had no dream that he could or would remember in the morning once he and the other occupants of the room woke up to a new day. Jiraiya would remember his nocturnal visits to the past and hell, but he would not remember that he had also bumped into his past self, which led to his past self's finding Myobokuzan and the Gama Clan. He would not remember that he was the cause for Minato to create the Hiraishin no Jutsu, since his sudden appearance in front of his pupil had surprised him into using a technique that would be invented on the spot and would take some time to figure out how it was done. Jiraiya would also not remember scaring the living out of Orochimaru some time after the Hebi-teme was born, by suddenly appearing in front of the infant in and for some reason drunkenly introduce himself, dance and all, which would be part of the reason why Orochimaru would one day betray the leaf and become a nuke-nin.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

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**Lost**

**Chapter 17**

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The group of five, consisting of four men and one woman, found themselves weaving their way through the dense forest that Hi no Kuni was known for having. So far they had not encountered any of the usual dangers, most likely since Jiraiya was already married to Kyonshi's somewhat adopted daughter of sorts.

But the usual adventures still occurred to each of the male members of the group, only this time during the night, while they were all supposedly safe in their beds, soundly sleeping and oblivious to the world beyond the lands of sleep and dreams.

The time for Jiraiya to return to Konoha was slowly nearing, he only had two weeks left to find Naruto, but unfortunately he had found no leads as to where his cute blonde student was. Everywhere he had been he searched or sought out information on his student, anything that might lead him to the whereabouts of his most recent student, one who for some reason was lost to the world.

Jiraiya and company had also been unable to find any clues as to Mikio's real identity, aside from being known or going by Rosuto Mikio for some time, and as merely Mikio for even longer. Mikio had not found anything that could unlock his memories of long long ago, whenever long long ago was. His memory only went as far back as when he was given the name Mikio, since the person that found him didn't know his name, and through some divine intervention, gave Mikio the name Mikio.

The Voice hadn't made his presence known to Mikio since the group entered the borders of Hi no Kuni. Mikio couldn't find a way to contact the Voice which had been a constant companion throughout his amnesiatic life. There was something in the Land of Fire that blocked out the Voice, or at least that was what Mikio thought. The real reason as to why the Voice, also known as Hyakume, did not make his presence known was that all the answers to everything about Mikio's past could be found in one village, that looked more like a city, somewhere in the Land of Fire.

There were one or two people in the whole village that would never forget his unaging face. Mikio really hadn't aged a day since Kiyomi and Ikkaku first met the man. It was like Tsunade and her genjutsu, except it didn't shorten his lifespan or something like that. If he were to sit and think about it, he seemed kind of immortal, it was a good thing that Orochimaru never heard of him, the man who did not physically age, and had a voice in his head.

Haru had matured more after the usual adventures ended, his dreams revolved around him finding himself in the Shokon compound in Juushu Oujou, and spending some days with Megumi, eventually one dream had him finally get married to the head of the Shokon. During the wedding he was told that Rosuto no Kuni would soon join the rest of the world, but he was also told not to tell anyone that little piece of information. Many people had attended the wedding, since the bride was the clan head of one of the most prestigious clans in all of Rosuto no Kuni. Even the Daimyou was there, but his face was hidden under the hood of his battle cloak, which people were used to seeing him wearing. Attending the wedding were many of Rosuto no Kuni's heroes from the past and present, some of whom or most of whom hadn't really aged all that much. That is to say that they looked older than thirty, but no older than fifty. None of them used a youth technique or magic like a certain Kage with a jewel on her forehead.

Haru had been introduced to them all since he was given partial headship over the Shokon clan. The perl of being an outsider was that he was not required to be the full head, and had to share all his duties and responsibilities with the formerly single clan head.

But before Haru could marry Megumi, the Giman clan had him undergo a number of trials to prove his determination and love for the head of the Shokon clan. Many people in the country actually thought that it would be Kazuo who would finally tie the knot with Megumi, but due to the trials that Haru faced it was learned that that was an impossibility since Kazuo only saw Megumi as a little sister. The Shokon and Giman clans had been very close to one another, even closer than the other clans of the Court class. Some five hundred years into the promised thousand years of peace, the two clans had somewhat joined, resulting in the two clans exchanging third and fourth children in marriage. Due to all these marriages the two clans could be considered one clan, but due to there being a few gaps, and since the heirs of both clans never married it was never going to happen. Kazuo and Megumi being the closest the two clans ever got to that ever happening.

The trials that Haru had to face could be considered as close to the adventures that he had found himself in. They were just as dangerous and hard to complete. Not only did he have to come out alive, but he was also given tasks to accomplish.

One of these seemingly impossible tasks was that he, Haru, was told to wade in the filthiest swamp the Giman clan could find, find three black pearls the size of marbles, and bring them to the Giman clan elder Giman Ryuu, all the while wearing a pristinely white kimono and hakama, throughout the whole ordeal. Haru used his knowledge of chakra and his control of it to protect the clothes from all manner of dirt and the like. Throughout the whole exercise, he was covered from head to toe in a greenish glow, which was his chakra in medical form that had formed a thin barrier around him.

Another of these tasks was similar to one of the tasks that Hercules had to perform, Haru was instructed to kill a lion. The lion was no ordinary lion, this monster was five times larger than a full grown lion. It was found in one of the underground forests, that could be found around the country. Haru was not given any weapons. He was shoved into one of the holes that led directly to the underground forest. Getting in was no problem. Killing only one lion was another thing, and getting out alive with the carcass of the entire thing was another thing entirely. Haru wasn't like Hercules that he was allowed to use other things that were not a part of his body, he also did not possess inhuman strength. But the thing that helped him the most was his speed. Upon landing in a literal lion's den, the exit of the slide like tunnel being a lion's den, he shouted to awaken all the lions that lay within it, and ran out while being chased by those monstrous cats. The oldest one of the lot was apparently still the fastest one. Once Haru found an exit, after running for hours and hours on end, he killed the old timer and ran as fast as he could all he while dragging the carcass out of the underground forest. He used up all the tricks that he knew to multiply his strength and speed. After getting out and proving that he had completed the task, he collapsed in a dead faint. He had overexerted his body, by forcing it to go beyond its limits, it was something like Rock Lee and opening the gates and having his limbs crushed. Haru had to spend a month in bed due to the ordeal.

One more notable trial that Haru had to undergo was also reminiscent of one of the twelve trials or labors of Heracles, the Giman clan had Haru bring back to the capital, even just outside the gates, the dragon of Kuraku Yuji, but unlike Heracles when he fetched the watchdog of the underworld, Haru was not allowed to be caught by the Kuraku elder.

After days of traveling to Komugi, the nine provinces kept their names when they were still separate lands, Haru found the dragon. Instead of trying to attract its wrath and have it chase him to the capital, he patiently waited for a time when no one but him and the dragon were around. When that time came, he walked up to the dragon and spoke to it, telling it his problems as well as what he needed to do, along with a bunch of other stuff. The dragon either out of pity or out of boredom, decided to grab hold of Haru and fly to the capital. Upon arrival there, the dragon sought out a Giman clansman and dropped Haru in front of him. Thus making allowing Haru to pass the trial, with literally flying colors.

While Haru lived this life and spent his time in Rosuto no Kuni all within several hours on three consecutive nights, Mikio also had dreams of his own.

Mikio's dreams mainly revolved around him finding himself in various countries around the Elemental continent. Unlike Jiraiya and Haru, he didn't seem to have been affected by Ikkaku's story telling.

The first dream had sent Mikio to a land constantly plagued by thunder and lightning storms. While moving around the land, he saw several nomadic clans traveling around the place. As he explored the land he made sure that he made as little contact with the clans as possible. Since he couldn't find any thing better to do, Mikio would play with the lightning during storms, this action would freak out and amaze passing clans or clans that were in the vicinity of Mikio's playing. He would allow himself to be struck by lightning, leading to some of the clans calling him Raijin. What they didn't know was that Mikio had been using chakra to allow himself to survive being hit constantly by the lightning. One of his persnal jutsu allowed him to absorb the lightning and transform it into nutrients for his body, due to all the lightning that he absorbed, Mikio did not need to eat and drink as long as there was a lightning storm.

Whenever Mikio was around the storms overhead were even more violent and fierce than they usually were, but Mikio didn't know that. The clouds always converged wherever Mikio would be. There was never a clear sky when Mikio was around. Wherever he went he attracted and therefore brought the thunder and lightning to the skies above everywhere he went.

Soon travelers would begin to refer to the land as the land of lightning, and later a village of shinobi would name their village the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

When Kumogakure no Sato was founded, Mikio was there, the village was on top of a mountain, and was perpetually surrounded with clouds, thunder and lightning storms were prevalent in the area, but it was the mass of clouds that Mikio's presence brought about that convinced the village leaders to name the village such. Mikio being oblivious to such a thing.

After his stint in Rai no Kuni, Mikio's next dream sent him to a land covered in mists and surrounded by water. In this land Mikio spend his days topless continuously twisting his shirt to wring out the water that would get sucked into it. Without any lightning to fuel his body, Mikio resorted to catching fish for food, and drinking, well, water.

This was one land that had more nomadic and hiding clans with special abilities than clans that did not have any. The land was something like a cradle of life, or a primodial pool from which many kekkai genkai clans were born.

Most of the land's residents traveled the coastline to always be close to a source of food, the sea, while those that lived inland relied upon fruit trees and the occasional vegetables.

Mikio had found out early in his stay in the land that there were three demons that perpetually travelled the surrounding body of water of the land in which he was stuck in.

One was a giant shark that was always accompanied by the second monster, which was a giant stingray, the third monster was a giant tentacled shellfish. These three monsters mostly kept to themselves. They preyed on the sailors and other seafarers that stayed out at sea for too long.

Sometimes while watching fishermen in their boats casting their nets into the sea, Mikio would constantly flip a loaf of bread just to see how many boats he could capsize. When he wasn't doing that one other thing that he did was try and talk some sailors that he found to talk about their next scheduled trip. But when he wasn't doing that he spent his time in the existing ports and waited for when an albatros would appear, upon spotting one he would use a Suiton Jutsu to shoot it. Injuring or killing an albatros was considered bad luck, so Mikio decided to give in to his mischievous side while he stayed in the land of mists and water.

While Mikio was waiting for the fish to bite, he would also throw stones into the water in an attempt to have them skip on the surface of the water, the only problem being that the stones did not have any smoth surfaces. For some reason, on the otherside of the country, a storm with big waves would pop up whenever Mikio went fishing.

The dream that brought him to the archipelagic country lasted for what seemed to be close to two years. During that time Mikio was spotted by many of the people living in that area of Elemental. Most of them considered any place that he was in bad luck. Since he was usually present whenever something bad happened.

The people that relied on the waters for sustenance always experienced misfortune whenever Mikio was around. Not that he really cared. He was trying to figure out if all the superstitions pertaining to sailing, seafearing, and just plain water were true, and for some reason the beliefs of the people made them true.

One good thing that came about of his presence in the ancient land of water was that whenever he left a place, extremely good fortune would befall the people in that place, which would last until someone new would arrive.

As time wore on, Mikio started to use Kirigakure no Jutsu to somewhat hide his presence from on lookers. Due his use of the jutsu, some of the inhabitants of the archipelago, mostly those inland, would refer to him as Kiri no Kami, god of the mist. One that brought good and bad luck.

Some people had got it into their heads that maybe they could drive Mikio away to gain the good luck that he left after bringing misfortune by attacking him. None of the attacks ever succeeded, none of them ever even made contact with him. This sort of immortality of the physical body added to Mikio's mythological mystery or divinity. Eventually Mikio would and his Kiri no Kami alias would be one of the reasons for the naming of Kirigakure no Sato. Aside from the village being hidden in mists, the people would use the belief that they would be protected by Kiri no Kami. The description of Mikio would never die, and if he ever visited Mizu no Kuni, alone, old timers would think of him as the Kiri no Kami that brought bad luck, and left good luck. The people of Kiri would later believe that by being hidden within the mists, they would be as invulnerable and immortal as Mikio.

The next dream that Mikio went through was still in Mizu no Kuni, but the time was different, it wasn't all that ancient, it was closer to the present, it was the time before the first attack of one of the tailed beasts. But during this time, there were still no big hidden villages, just those small ones that were for one clan only.

As Mikio appared he quicky applied his jutsu, in order for him to get into the grove and become his Kiri no Kami persona. Afterwhich he decided to go explore and see what the world, or at least the country, was like this time.

A month passed by, with him doing his misfortune thing, when he chanced upon a fishing village, when he was just about to do his usual thing, he noticed that the water around the village didn't look all that healthy, it didn't sport a healthy green or blue, it had things bobbing in and out, and up and down in it. It was clearly being polluted. He noticed that the boats that were anchored near the village were larger than those in the other villages that he had passed by.

The people of this particular village showed no gratitude to the water, the giver of life, at all. They took from the sea, and gave trash in return. Some of the people noticed his approach, and grew somewhat weary, for all intents and purposes, their beliefs were not strong enough to keep them in tune with nature. They weren't aware that Mikio was not in a happy mood. He didn't like it when people did not show gratitude. This small village was not very eco-friendly.

By this time, Mikio had added to his personality, since to him he had become somewhat god-like, he gained the mindset that he somehow was. He may have had superstitions and jutsu at his beck and call, but these people didn't really fear the myths surrounding the mists and the diety that walked within them.

In the past nothing overly castastrophic ever happened whenever Mikio was around, life was just a tad bit harder, no big. But this time, Mikio was planning something bigger, he knew the mechanics of the kami and other such beings, due to all the encounters that he and his group had with the actual kamis. He thought himself a representative of the elements. Lightning in Rai no Kuni, which gave him the monicker Raijin, and water, in Mizu no Kuni, due to his mists being made out of the moisture in the air.

Insults and the like usually got a kami mad at someone in their group, Inari being one example. Mikio found it an insult to his beliefs as well as to the other water dieties and kami when he saw the primitive form of pollution that had accumulated in the waters around the fishing village.

He was a shinonbi, so he had no qualms about killing, but in this instance he wasn't going to just go up to the first villages and slit his throat, no he was going to do something more sinister, he was going to do an a la Madara bijuu attack.

The villages didn't really notice the shit that they put themselves in, until they noticed the large shadow overhead.

Mikio had used a bunch of clones to get the sabi, both the shark and the shellfish-turtle, to attack the village. The clones did this by saturating the air with their chakra and pissing off the two monsters. The air was also filled with as much rage and anger as he could muster. The two monsters were quickly drawn to the emotions that permeated the air. Something in the chakra compelled them to follow it all to the source, which was Mikio.

When the two behemoths arrived at the village, they tried to seek out Mikio, who was at the middle of the village. He made himself known to those around him by producing his mists, which instantly covered the whole of the village. As with every attack of any kind there would be survivors.

Mikio then expertly hid his chakra, having had to hide from a few omniscient beings made one an expert at hiding those kinds of things, although it seemed only possible when they were running and hiding. The bijuu, or what would later be refered to as the bijuu, were nothing compared to the a being like a kami. Add in the fact that the monster that would be captured, sealed, and would be recognized as the sanbi was kind of dumb as a doornail and relied mostly on instinct rather than brains, hiding was a cinch. The other one, should have been the one to get the title, it was far smarter, but there was one thing on its mind, and it wasn't Mikio, it was the smorgasbord that was prepared for the two.

The shark treated Mikio as some handler who offered or more or less gave it a treat, aka free food, so it didn;t pay much mind to Mikio.

One of the other reasons why Mikio was in no danger from the two monsters was that he had used the chakra in the air to form a slightly undetectable genjutsu to somehow control the two beasts. This would make them leave, to them, of their own volition after the destruction had been wrought.

After chaos and havok had made their presences known to the inhabitants of the village of sinners, the two monsters left, and went back to the deeper part of the waters in which they resided in.

Once those two hulking masses of solidified chakra had left, Mikio once again made his presence known. The mists surrounding his form, less dense than they usually were. He stood atop a pillar of earth which was hidden from view by the mists. Looking down on the survivors, he told them that those that siurvived were allowed to live so that others may know of the tale, the events that transpired, as well as the reason for such a disaster to have struck many of their fellows dead.

By adding chakra to his eyes, Mikio had been able to make them glow a vivid blue, which gave an additional effect of making him look more divine, as well as angry.

The people took the warning that such a disaster would happen again, should such things ever occur in the land of water and mists.

Which in the future, even without Mikio's prompting, would really occur, his genjutsu having a lasting effect on the two monsters, one that would give them powerful mental suggestions to attack villages or any place that people weren't taking care of, only in the land of water of course, as that was their terrotory.

But the turtle being the dumb one would in later years be ensnared by Shodaime Hokage, and would limit Mikio's influence, for a time.

Mikio's influence and power had grown after that. He was the most powerful and influencial divine figure in the Mizu pantheon. His powers ranged from mere superstitions to the ability to bring about disasters.

But his influence didn't end in just that era.

His next dream was one where he played a direct role in the actual history of the country. His dream had him witness the calamities brought about by the massive blood purge, or at least all the things that lots of people knew about. He was also shown the havok broguht about by the defection of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu.

After bearing witness to such tradgedies and atrocities, Mikio was thrust into the beginning of it all. He knew that even with his Kiri no Kami persona he would not be able to prevent all those things from happening. To the rest of the world, those things were very important events. But there was still something that he could do.

The mist can hide things, many thing, the mist can even hide a whole village. Mikio planned or doing something a la Naruto. Search and rescue was his new thing. He'd have to alter his Kiri no Kami persona a bit. The divine were not meant to directly interfere with the actions of mortals, so he would have to do things more subtly, by employing agents into this war torn world.

He would hide people in a mist so dense and thick that no one would be able to enter or leave without his say so. It would be a caged paradise. He would be able to do this due to his knowledge of seals, some of the things that he picked up during his travels before leaving on his journey with Jiraiya, he also gained some more insight and experience in the sealing arts by just being in close proximity with one of the world's seal masters.

While Mikio didn't have the capacity that Naruto possesed, he had enough to do the things that he needed to do. He knew how to perform Kage Bushin no Jutsu, and he would use those and Mizu Bushin to their full extent. He would also be making extensive use of Henge, which would build up his myth.

The power of a diety, kami, and or other higher being lay in their myth, and the belief of people. To think is to create, and that was oen of the ways that the higher powers worked. Of course the Being, Chaos, and Order didn't nescessarily work that way, since those three just were.

He traveled the land as he did in his previous adventure filled dreams, but this time with more of a purpose than anything else. His clones travelled a short distance behind him, conserving their energies for the tasks that lay ahead.

Mikio had memorized all the events that would occur, none of which had a detailed count of the lives that were lost in the battles and such. But there were records of prominent individuals that died or were just lost to the world. These people would be too visible on the radar, so Mikio and his clones would concentrate on those that wouldn't really be missed all that much.

There were stories of one of two of the defectors known to be the greatest swordsmen of the mist, one or two of these passed on into history with nary a word spoken about what had become of them. The visions that Mikio had seen did not show some of these men, Kisama, Zabuza and Raiga were shown, but the rest were not. Mikio would also be on the lookout for one or two of those other four.

After a few successful rescue missions, and the people that he had rescued had been safely placed in the enclosed and hidden area, Mikio's power and status grew, his Kiri no Kami persona reached Kami status, but only for short periods of time.

Mikio could remain a Kami for at most a whole week straight. Thus enabling him to have access to powers that he normally would not have access to. But using such powers shortened his time in god-mode. Each major power would lessen his time by a full hour, minor powers would use up a fourth of an hour.

The people he had rescued from the cold hands of death of a few frustrated shinigami, along with the few other people that had seen him come and go, had bolstered his myth and their belief had strengthened his powers.

He could compare himself to a demi-god, or a jinchuuiki. Whereas a jinchuuriki held a bijuu at bay, Mikio held within him a kami, or something like that.

Whereas Jiraiya had influenced Hi no Kuni, Mikio was an influential and mythological being in both Rai and Mizu no Kuni, more so in Mizu than in Rai. But he still had a few rounds to make.

After his last self sent mission, Mikio had accumulated enough people power to populate a small village, well more like a village the size of the Nami no Kuni village that Naruto and Team 7 went to on their first C-ranker.

When he knew his time was up, he walked into the mists surrounding his hidden village, slowly vanishing back to his dreamscape where he would be sent off to another place and time. His people, followers, and believers were unintentionally left in a space that could be accessed by Rosuto no Kuni, starting from five hundred years before Naruto was born. The people would interact and grow separate from the world just like Rosuto no Kuni, and would not be a part of the Land of the Lost, except in their existence.

Mikio was expecting to find himself closer to his real time still in Mizu no Kuni, but alas it was not meant to be. He found himself in the center of a massive hole in the ground, which was littered with rocks and boulders of all manner of shape and size. The hole in the ground did not look recent, it looked old, like something that had happened long before people existed in the country that he guessed he was in.

Sure enough he was right. Once he got out of the crater the sight that met him confirmed it, he was in Tsuchi no Kuni. From his vantage point, as he was on a moutain, he could see the place that would in the future be Iwagakure no Sato.

He had not received any vision of future's pasts and past's futures, he had no real knowledge as to what to expect and what he could do in this country, in this land of earth. So he supposed that he would have to find away to become like his Raijin and Kiri no Kami personas.

He walked the length and bredth of the country for three whole years before he knew how he would make a mythological name for himself. Through past experiences, he knew that due to his actions he had or should have changed the flow and course of time as he knew it, but it seemed that he had not. That meant that there was some higher power that enabled or made it so that anything that he did do, was somehow fit into the flow of time as he knew it. Things that were supposed to happen still happened, nothing that he had done had changed the future one bit, how he knew this he didn't know. But he did know that events and the like that he knew had occurred still occurred. He also knew that everyone's perception of the present and history was very different and unique, so although they lived in the same dimension, world, time, and place, their view of events were different, and their knowledge of the flow of time flawed.

This was the basis upon which Mikio and his friends could act. It was also how Rosuto no Kuni was able to exist. The only things that they all avoided were actively changing the past for their betterment. Like how Mikio didn't attempt to save everyone in the blood purge. Another thing was how Jiraiya did his thing, aka being the cause for the creation, birth, and or existence of some things.

After those three years, Mikio notice that the land didn't look like the Tsuchi no Kuni that he knew. He realized that he had been given he chance to play with a helluva lot more clay than he had ever dreamed of. So whenever there were a few people around, which was more like a tribe or clan of people or three, he would enter god-mode and stay in it for around three day, shaping the land to what he knew it to more or less look like, as well as some other different forms and shapes and sizes.

When he was in god-mode, Mikio wore a royal purple cheongsam, which was a long shirt with long sleeves, and long pants. His hair was a changed somewhat, it was light grey that had a certain touch of luminosity. All of his movements showed the gracefulness of a god of water, the precision and agility of a god of lightning, and the masculinity and strength of the earth.

His utilization of his god-powers, and his jutsu, allowed him to not only shape the landscape, but also add a touch of greenery to it. His arsenal of Raiton Jutsus allowed him to electrify and even energize portions of the land, allowing for a fast flow of chi. His Siuton Jutsus allowe some areas for produce more fruits of the earth after human hands had applied a helping hand. His ability was like Juushu but on a smaller scale.

AS he moved about and appeared in many places, he did not make his presence known alone. With him he had two companions, both of which h were just Bushin, the regular kind, but sporting Henges that made them look like his god-mode. The difference between the three Mikios was that the real one's skin had a golden brownish tint, while the bushin that respresented his Mizu aspect had a blue -green tint, and the bushin that represented his Rai aspect was just pale, but had sparks run up and down his skin, visible even at a distance.

After being spotted or seen all over the country, Mikio's three god-forms gained the title of Kaibyaku no Sankami, while his central character in the Tsuchi pantheon was dubbed as Yochigami.

Unlike Rai no Kuni that had lots of lightning flying all over the place, and Mizu no Kuni that had lots of bodies of water, Tsuchi no Kuni only had the fruits of the earth to sustain the people. Mikio had to depend on the plants for nutrients, for some reason he avoided eating meat.

What Mikio was unaware of was that he was not the only one that was time travelling here and there in Elemental. Juushu also did a bit of traveling himself. What else was he to do when he had to wait a thousand years before he could interact with the other people he considered his friends.

Outside of Rosuto no Kuni he performed feats of skill and other things, he was one of the movers and shakers of the continent, quite literally too. When Mikio wasn't around, Juushu would step in and make sure that Raijin, Kiri no Kami, and Yochigami's myths didn't die in their physical absence.

But one thing that he did that separated him from Mikio was that he was god-mode twenty four seven. He made himself known as the big brother of Mikio's three god-forms. Where Mikio was cautious and careful with his actions, Juushu found his time hopping and shopping as the perfect opportunities to cut loose. He knew the timeline of the outside world, and had even memorized it. Zombie-sensei informed him that he had free reign in what he could do to the elemental continent. And do as he pleased he did.

Unexplained natural and unatural disasters that befell the world or just one country or two, those events that were chaulked up to a mischievous kami, were almost all his doing. There were some enlightened or honored being that would pop up now and again to take credit for an event that was to occur, and Juushu obliged them. There was more than enough of the continent to share with a few others.

Tsunami no Kuni rose and fell with the tides, it had gotten its name from the time when Juushu sneezed and caused a tsunami to form which would have covered the land if it were not for some water god creating storms that dispersed the giant wave before it even reached land. That or those incidents were mostly accidents on Juushu's part, the tsunami was caused from the sneeze while Juushu was shifting from water to the wind.

Juushu's presence in Tsuchi no Kuni was the opposite of Mikio's. Whereas Mikio brought about positive change. Juushu brought about earthquakes and mudslides. He was the bane of all higher beings that roamed the Land of Earth. He left destruction in his wake. Regular luck returned to the land everytime he left.

At one point in time the Land of Earth suffered a great earthquake that toppled mountains. This event was the most insane one in the history of the land.

It was the only time that Mikio and Juushu were in the same land at the exact same time, with no other gods present, just watching.

It was a clash of the titans. The event happened just after the founding of Iwagakure no Sato. Atop the moutain that hid the village stood Mikio. On the mountain that served as the capital of Tsuchi no Kuni stood Juushu.

Their combined presences conflicted, their energies were unstable. One wishing to create, to mold, to heal, to make new, and one wishing to cause chaos, calamit, to destroy, to eradicate.

Mountains crumbled and reformed as the two opposing forces did battle. For three whole years after the founding of Iwagakure no Sato, the two "brothers" did battle, Juushu sustaining Mikio's god-form to prolong his entertainment. Mikio did not notice his prolonged stay in god-mode.

Many Doton Jutsu were born in the span of those three years. The Tsuchikage of that time sent out teams of shinobi to survey the battle and get ideas from the happenings all over the country.

Mikio and Juushu deployed Tsuchi Bushins of themselves to fight each other in a massive battle royale. These were the battles in which the Iwa-nin picked up many jutsu as well as ideas for jutsu.

Rokudou no Sennin was the father and founder of chakra, forever immortalized in the history books as such. But the information and use of chakra was fairly primitive, it was his use of nature chakra that made him truly great. His ninjutsu was limited as the world had just been reborn then. So his legacy was a bit limited. But little did he know that one day his teachings would be used by the kamis themselves.

Since the two battling "brothers" never left their places atop the mountains, some people were able to gleam a taijutsu style from their movements. This taijutsu style would later become known as Tsuchi no Kuni's two hardest to learn, master, and use styles.

Juushu's style was powerful and filled with rage, most of the strikes that he employed to move the earth to do his bidding were mostly punches, there were a few kicks in between. Juushu was the solidified earth, he was as a rock.

Mikio on the other hand was everything else. His style was the rock hard determination of the mountains that allowed such collosal structures of nature to stand firm through all the test of time. He was the reason why a mudslide was so overpowering. Although his strikes were not all that powerful, the sheer number that were let loose was more than enough to make up for the lack of physical strength. The only times that his movements showed their strength, was when he was protecting and defending.

In one part of the country a small city stood, it was in the middle of nine mountains. From these nine mountains nine earth dragons formed and flew towards the city, intent on its destruction. But a dome rose up from the earth around the city, from mud the earth turned to stone, then to diamond. The dragons stood no chance against such a defense. Once the dragons' powers were all used up, and their limp earthen bodies fell limply to the ground, the dome receeded back into the earth. The city was then dubbed the diamond mine capital of Tsuchi no Kuni.

The incident that ended the three year battle was when in his frustration at being unable to overpower the defending Mikio, Juushu unleased his burning will on the earth. Instead of forming just a mountain, he let loose his powers and formed a volcano. Upon completion, the volcano erupted in a shower of molten rock. The Lava did not flow out of the crater, it flew high in the air just as hot as it had been within the bowels of the earth.

As the lava fell down in a blindingly bright rain of molten rocks, Mikio did the only thing he could think of. He covered the whole of earth country in a dome of earth, all manner or rock and mineral and precious stone, formed a dome and protected the inhabitants of the land. The shadow of the earth protected its people.

Afte that final move, the battle had ended. The volcano instantly became extinct, and the dome receeded back into the earth. The Land of Earth was hidden from the world for an entire twenty four hours.

The volcano did not grow within the borders of Earth, but within the borders of Fire. One of the reason as to why Tsuchi and Hi no kuni have a strong dislike for one another is because of the end of that one titanic battle.

All over elemental other such incidents occurred, but none as bad as that one. After their battle in earth the two "brothers" never again did battle.

Another big thing that Juushu had a hand in was the reason as to why Shukaku was had the misfortune of getting stuck with a mad monk.

At the time Juushu was unaware of the consequences of his actions, but in the future it would lead to one of his bestfriends going some what genocidally insane.

Who knew that playing a massive prank on the Wind Temple would cause one of its monk to go mad enough to want to go stir crazy enough to seal his mind into the mind of a bijuu.

Shukaku was a lazy ass when he was not studying or being under the ever watchful and penetrating eyes of Kyonshi. Like the other bijuu especially Touken, Shukaku was also at one time the student of Kyonshi.

Lounging around in the sea of sand known as Kaze no Kuni, the tauki was unaware that a mad monk had designs of becoming immortal through merging or sealing his mind in an already happy go lucky tanuki.

The monk wanted revenge on the higher power that had caused chaos to occur in his belovedly peaceful nirvana like home. Juushu while enacting his massive prank, had disguised himself as a number of people, unknowingly one of which was someone that resembled the Yondaime Kazekage, and was part of the reason why Gaara had a strong dislike for his father.

While Mikio and Juushu were trading blows, Jiraiya was messing with the minds of the denizens of Hi no Kuni, and Haru was busy with his familial duties, Ikkaku also had his fair share of adventures. Most of which were tame in comparison with the other men in his group.

Being a happily married man to a more or less goddess did not change his outlook on life, his personality did not undrgo any real changes. That was why even his dreams did not allow his adventures to change.

One of the places that Ikkaku had found himself in was Kaze no Kuni. Present day Kaze no kuni to be exact, complete with Subaku no Gaara as Godaime Kazekage. Normally something like this would not be a problem, if it weren't for the fact that Ikkaku had accidentally asked the wrong person about the possible whereabouts of a certain blonde haired knuckleheaded ninja.

Tenmari was quite surprised to be asked if she had seen a blonde haired shinobi with whisker like birthmarks on his face by a guy who for some reason was wearing a black cloack with a pattern of clouds on it.

Akatsuki was something that all the Shinobi villages kenw about, specifically those that had jinchuuriki living in them. It was definitely understandable that Ikkaku would find himself hunte down by the entirety of the Suna Military forces in the span of a few minutes.

The sennin managed to outrun and outmanuever each and every one of his pursuers, all the while wondering if maybe Naruto was someone that the village hated or something like that. He failed to notice that he looked like one of the Akatsuki.

He had scores of puppets on his tail when he was flying through the air. When he was running on the ground and on the sands and dunes, he was followed by the shinobi of suna.

It was madness, shukriken, kunai, and all sorts of pointy and shiny things were thrown in his direction. Jutsu were also sent his way, lots and lots of Fuuton and Doton jutsu were used in an attempt to possibly capture or kill the "Akatsuki" member.

For the first four hours of the game of cat and mouse the pursuers were made up of only shinobi ranked below Kage.

It was during the fifth hour that Ikkaku ran into a quite sandy problem. The Kazekage had managed to free himself from the overprotective people that had somehow managed to detain him. But now he was out and about and ready for anything.

Which was why Ikkaku had to whip out his weapon of choice and cast a few defensive attacks of his own, none of which being jutsu.

The Elder and Puppet Master who weilded the Puppet collection of Chilamatsu Monzaemon realized that Ikkaku was not using any chakra, at all. As she stopped her assult, so did some of the other shinobi. Those that halted their assults wondered why the old kunoichi had stopped in her relentless attacks.

After a few minutes of avoiding the deadly and sandy gresp of the Ichibi jinchuuriki, Ikkaku got fed up with all the running and stuff, they were only normal people after all, not monsters from the black abyss or the blue lagoon or something more sinister. So with one spell he restrained them all. Being a sennin he was also able to paralyze the Kazekage and his sand.

Once that was done he walked over to the Kazekage and asked why an entire village had gone out of its way just to make him feel not at home. The last time that he was in the village, he was not treated the way he was treated this time. He wanted and needed to know the reason behind such open hostility.

After a few minutes of waiting for an answer and not getting one, he remembered that the person that he was speaking to had been frozen in time via a spell, so he removeed part of the spell to allow the Kage to speak.

After hearing a mocking explanation Ikkaku finally realized that he did in fact look like an Akatsuki member. He also noticed that there were seals placed all over the cloak, so he cancelled them all and cursed whom so ever was it that had made him run the gauntlet. He was rewarded by a big lump of hail smashing into him that came from seemingly out of nowhere. A note was attached to it, which he read after he got his bearings back.

'I heard that!' was what was written on the note, under the message was the mark of the dragon king.

After explaining to the paralyzed Kage that he was just looking for his friend's, Jiraiya's, student, who was missing.

When the Kazekage heard that his friend was missing he was able to break the spell placed on him and immediately wrapped the sage in sand, and threatened to squish him if he didn't fully explain what he meant by saying that Naruto was missing.

The sennin had him promise that he wouldn't tell the Hokage before he would tell him the whole story. The sennin did not fear for his life and actually started to resemble a lunatic. As when dealing with all crazy people caution was advised. Gaara was still considered an slightly insane person, but someone who did not use chakra was an unknown and that merrited some caution.

So he made the promise and listened to Ikkaku's tale. When he asked the sennin where his companions were, the sennin told the kage that they were most likely still in some other country or something like that.

It was a puzzling answer, not knowing where ons's travelling companions were. But the Kage was forced to believe the sennin, especially after said sennin informed the kage that he could leave whenever he wish, demonstrating it by phasing through the sand then phasing back in. It was a weird sign of trust.

In the end Gaara was forced to let the sennin go. Afterwhich the sennin went on his way, into the desert to seek out way to get to another time, a time that was not a part of the present.

After he was a few meters away from the entirety of the Suna Military might, he dispelled the spell that was holding all of them in place and vanished into a sandstorm that had come out of nowhere. It quickly disappeared after he entered showing that no one was there.

Gaara bound by his word did not inform the Nara when he came by suna, due to his ambassador status. But the other Suna-nin did inform the Konoha-nin of a cloacked figure asking seeking the whereabouts of Naruto.

The reason as to why the group of four men and one woman were heading for Konohagakure no Sato with two weeks worth of searching, seeking, and adventure time, was because Jiraiya had received word that he was to return to Konoha ASAP, with his student in tow.

The group couldn't help him in finding a way out of a direct order from his Kage and teammate. So the group made their slow death march to Konoha. Jiraiya counted the seconds til he found his doom. He just hoped that Kiyomi wouldn' kill him for being killed by another woman.

Of course the Gama Sennin was not prepared for a few surprising things that awaited him and his posse during the final leg of their journey.

The Voice also managed to send a final message to Mikio, telling him that should Jiraiya ever find himself in trouble via a busty and blonde woman, Mikio was to bodily defend his friend. Another voice entered the conversation, one of an old man, that informed Mikio that their adventures weren't up yet.

With that final message Hyakume, Dorotabo, Touken, and Kyonshi sat on a couch in front of a television, ate popcorn and watched the finale of the show which the four of them had helped produce.

_

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Review please...only if you liked it...if you didn't like it, feel free to send me a private message._

_I hope that you guys and gals understood the chapter, and are looking forward to the next one._

_Uhm...yeah that's about it for this chapter._


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

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**Lost**

**Chapter 18**

There was movent in the trees, shadows moved above the a platoon of traveling soldiers. The only light that illuminated the darkness in which the platoon travelled were the lights from the moon and stars. The land was called Yami no Kuni afterall, the Land of Darkness. This land was shrouded in perpetual darkness, or more precisely perpetual night.

Several night prior to this night, something had occurred that prompted the Juudaime Tsukiyomi, Rosuto Karasu to send out his soldiers into the countryside, and to the his land's borders.

Karasu had received word from a messanger of Rosuto Younen that said that Rosuto no Kuni was going to open its borders soon.

Rosuto no Kuni was one of the lands that was hidden from the rest of the world, for reasons unknown to the majority of the continent, Yami no Kuni being another one. These hidden lands tended to keep in contact with one another for some reason, the reason for Yami no Kuni to do such was that the daimyou was a member of one of the branch families of the Juushu clan.

Karasu expected there to be some hostility shown towards them due to their sudden emergence in the world, but that was really to be expected, people do fear that which they cannot explain or understand, the unkown was something that could easily be feared.

Once Rosuto no Kuni made itself known to the world, Yami no Kuni would follow. That would be the only time that Karasu would send out ambassadors to the other lands, as well as go out into the rest of the world himself and seek out his lost brother, Rosuto Mikio.

Yami no Kuni was a land consierably smaller than Rosuto no Kuni, it was roughly the size of Tsuchi no Kuni, and was divided into eight provinces, each province being ruled by one of the Okugi Eight. The Okugi Eight being the former retainers of the Shinobi Lord, turned Daimyou. These former retainers were now samurai and shinobi lords in their own rights, they each had a clan of their own now.

Karasu didn't really know what the reaction the rest of the world would give his country, but whatever it would be, good or bad, he would be prepared for it. If it was war, then he would give the other nations a chance to even step foot into his land. If it was peace, he would send out his ambassadors. But if it was indifference, he would send out people that would make those others recognize their presence.

Yami no Kuni was just one of the lands or groups of people that were being informed of the unveiling of Rosuto no Kuni. Rosuto Younen was spreading the word. Those people that knew of Naruto's little legend, were now being told, in whispers that he was returning. The rumor mill of the whole continent was being churned and milked for all it was worth. From port to port, from village to village, from city to city, the existence of Rosuto no Kuni was being made known. "Travellers" brought stories about the country and its mysteries and wonders. Word was spreading, and fast. With only two weeks left before the emergence of such a big country, it was amazing how the company was able to make its owner's presence known.

Rosuto Younen had made sure that the Hidden Villages were told stories about the military might of Rosuto no Kuni. There were stories that told of the country being the birth place of many myths and legends.

Rokudou no Sennin was a man born two thousand years before the birth of Rosuto no Kuni, but the stories told of a man or being that rivalled the famed Sennin, someone who held more powers than the founder of the shinobi world as it was known today.

Such news prompted many into halting plans, and stalling actions, in favor of knowing more about this potential friend or foe.

The Akatsuki did not start their plan of collecting all the bijuu, a plan which should have commenced, but due to the news and the curiosity that it brought about, became more important to ruling the world or destroying it.

Orochimaru had a spy network of his own, with himself the only one who truly knew how to make it move shake and work. Uchiha Sasuke let the serpent live, Orochimaru seemed to still possess a purpose. For some reason the serpent's body had healed to the point that he didn't need Sasuke's body. After a swift battle with the sharingan, he opted not to take the sharingan for himself, deeming the eyes of that demonic clan to be too much for him. Orochimaru's attempt to snatch Sasuke's body for his own failed. Staying alive was one of the things that Sasuke got out of the power struggle, the other thing was that he had gotten the Mangenkyo Sharingan in the bargain, eyes that Orochimaru feared obtaining due to the knowledge that the users eventually became blind, ie Itachi.

Danzo, the leader of Ne and elder or advisor of the Hokage, was forced into halting all his plans of somehow gaining the position of Hokage and ruling the leaf with an iron fist due to the arising presence of such an unknown power. Konoha was without its jinchuuriki and Danzo did not feel all that confident that Konoha could survive a war with the new power without its jinchuuriki. Little did he know that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki no longer existed. All that was left was thousand plus year old warrior, that went by the name Rosuto Juushu.

Rosuto Younen also made sure that the people of the known lands of Elemental remembered the stories of their myths and legends. Such stories like the one about Tsuchi's and Mizu's Kaibyaku no Sankami. They also made sure to somehow make Tsunade aware of the naming of Konoha, and her title.

Rosuto Younen employees made their way to the mists of Kiri no Kami and unraveled the seals that kept mists in place. Rosuto Younen was known to the people that lived in the village hidden by the mists, whose time flowed differently from the rest of the world. The unraveling of the seals allowed time to syncronize with the rest of the world. Due to the new freedom that they possed, for the first week they trickled out of their haven, those that had gone to Kiri, had found one that was surprised that they still existed, and were quite welcoming to them. The kunoichi of Kiri no Kuni were ecstatic to learn that the mizukage was also a kunoichi.

Rosuto Younen made it a point that all the news and rumors they spread connected everything to Rosuto no Kuni, and more specifically Rosuto Juushu.

When it came to be that there was only one week left before Rosuto no Kuni revealed its presence to the world, Rosuto Younen started working overtime. Introducing products into the market that were from the emerging country.

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The world was experiencing a sense of chaos. But that was just the world. More important than the world was a group of five people. The group was made up of four men and one woman. This group of people were about a week away from Konoha, when their crisis truly began.

There was only that one week before Rosuto no Kuni emerged, there was also only that week left before Jiraiya believed he would meet his end.

One week remained before the super pervert would have to face the music. One week remained for the master to be reunited with the student. One week remained before Jiraiya would have to choose between his wife or his Hokage. Yes, Jiraiya was in a pickle. He didn't know it, but his wife was a week away from giving birth. As one life enters the world, another is supposedly supposed to leave it.

With seven days remaining the group of five could not afford to be bogged down by any adventures. Jiraiya and company had to work overtime to find Naruto and fast, since Mikio knew that the key to his missing memories were in Konoha the group did not need to worry about him.

Hi no Kuni was more or less the only place that the group had not yet searched for Naruto, so on the way the group made it a point to search even under every rock for the young genin. Pathetic really, Uzumaki Naruto was essentially almost immortal, but was still ranked as a genin in Konoha. The good thing was that he wasn't going by Naruto anymore, but as Juushu, his son used his old name.

Whenever the group encountered a group of things that tried to eat them, attack them, kidnap them, maim them, transport them, the group did everything in their power to make short work of these adventures. Its amazing what people can do when under a lot of pressure.

When the dragon king made another appearance and _**tried**_ to pester Ikkaku, he was greeted not by a hello or a go away, but by a spell that paralyzed his from snout to tail and imprisoned him and his entire family in some underwater cave in the sea surrounding Yuki no Kuni, it took the Shiki Fukujin seven days to remove the spell holding the dragons.

When Inari made his appearance and tried to cause a little chaos, he was greeted by a boot to the head courtesy of Jiraiya who had entered Sage Mode and had powered up his arm with nature chakra and thrown a boot that appeared from out of nowhere at the kami. The result was that Inari was just struck dumb that he had been hit by a boot to the head, and just left like that, he wore the boot like a hat for the rest of the week. Contemplating how the hell that had happened.

Mikio wasn't bothered by anything at all, except maybe the seemingly random popcorns that were pelted at his head from out of nowhere.

Chang'e did not experience any hardship, the only hardship that she experienced was that without any prior training she was delegated to being the one to prepare all their meals while they were on the move. Rabbits would appear before her by the score, and they would also commit sepuku infront of her so that she may make use of them. It was sick, strange, and convenient all at the same time. A hare on the moon used some form of kugutsu no jutsu to make his lucky cousins on earth do as they did.

Unlike the rest of the group, Haru was plagued by the most problems, these problems being brought about by his affiliation with Rosuto no Kuni, one moment he was searching for Naruto, the next he was with his wife helping in the preparation for Rosuto no Kuni to emerge into the world.

The group worked tirelessly into the night, the only one that got enough sleep was the woman of the group, the men pushed themselves to their limits in the search for Jiraiya's salvation.

* * *

With three day remaining, while searching for his student near a calmly flowing river, the Gama Sennin was struck dumb by a vision of beauty made flesh that was bathing not far from his position. He decided not to make his presence known, since such a sight was a rarity, and he was experiencing some slight withdrawal from not seening his wife for so long. If only he had remembered to bring his notebook with him he would have a new book published, printed, and sold by the end of the day. But perhaps not having his notebook on him was the thing that saved him from his potentially early grave.

Once the first perverted giggle escaped his lips, Jiraiya knew the jig was up, this was because a foot met his face in a spectacular flying kick, followed by a shout of "Dynamic Entry!"

Jiraiya expected to see a green jumpsuit wearing Maito Gai or Rock Lee, but what or who he saw entirely different. The sight he saw was just as creepy, if not worse.

There was a group of people wearing sunglasses infront of him, one of them was the woman that he had been spying on earlier. Two of the men stepped closer to the super pervert, while the other people turned around, as if not wanting to witness the horror that was about to take place.

One of the people that had stepped closer to Jiraiya looked to be wearing a bright orange tracksuit, the other was wearing a blindingly pink tracksuit, these two men were not wearing such suit before stepping forward, how they were suddenly in them Jiraiya did not care to know.

What Jiraiya witnessed afterward would forever be burned into his mod for all of eternity, not even Kyonshi would be able to rid him of such a memory.

"This Pervert is so UNYOUTHFUL!" the orange one shouted.

"His FLAMES of YOUTH do not BURN as BRIGHTLY as they should!" the pink one shouted.

The other people were clutching their ears in an attempt in blocking out the shouting, for some reason it appareared to be working. But Jiraiya was unable to try it seeing as he was unable to look away from the sight before his eyes. It was as if several higher powers were holding him in place and making sure he was scarred mentally for life.

"Ryuu-jii-sama! Your FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN EVEN BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN MOON AND STARS TO HAVE NOTICED THE EMBERS OF YOUTH THAT THIS PERVERT POSSESSES!" the one in pink shouted all the while pointing at Jiraiya.

"YOU AS WELL, KAZUO-KUN! YOUR BURNING FLAMES OF YOUTHFUL YOUTH BLAZE AND BURN WITH MORE POWER AND YOUTH THAN THE UNYOUTHFUL OLD PERSON BEFORE OUR EYES!" the orange one shouted.

"WHAT SHOULD WE DO RYUU-JII-SAMA?! WE MUCH REKINDLE HIS FLAMES OF YOUTHFUL YOUTH!" the pink one asked.

"YOUR BURNING FLAMES OF YOUTHFUL YOUTH ARE SO REFERSHING!" the ornage one shouted, then smiled blindingly at his pink partner.

"RYUU-JII-SAMA!"

"KAZUO-KUN!"

"RYUU-JII-SAMA!"

"KAZUO-KUN!"

"RYUU-JII-SAMA!"

"KAZUO-KUN!"

While shouting the name of the other the two men grabbed each other and hugged the hug of youth. Behind them what looked like a sunrise appeared out of nowhere. It was truly a blinding sight. Instead of the colors associated with Maito Gai and Rock Lee, this one had blinding orange and pink in it. But that was the extent of any description that could be made of it.

Once the two men stopped hugging, their suits vanished to reveal their usual garbs.

One of the women in of the group approached the now comatose form lying on the ground with drool coming out of his mouth, she picked up a nearby stick and started poking the downed super pervert with it.

"Kaa-san, I don't think he'll wake up from just that," one of the other women of he group said to the woman who was poking the super pervert.

"Oi! Asahi! Go look for the other three!" the man known as Kazuo said.

"Hai, hai, hai," Asahi Haru said, and walked away in search of his other group of friends and comrades.

Haru found Ikkaku, Mikio, and Chang'e sitting around what once was a campfire, the three were eating lunch, while also waiting for Haru and Jiraiya to join them.

"Haru, where've you been man? An' where's Ero-Sennin?" Ikkaku asked after spotting Haru.

"Eh, Ero-sennin a bit aways away, he was peeking on Tsukiko-sama," Haru said.

"Tsukiko...?" Ikkaku said, "As in...that Tsukiko?"

"Yep, the very same Tsukiko you are thinking about."

"Who is this Tsukiko you two are talking about?" Mikio asked.

"Ikkaku-kun, who is Tsukiko?" Chang'e also asked.

"Eh...Rosuto Tsukiko, formerly Tokage Tskukiko. She is the wife of Rosuto Juushu," Ikkaku answered.

"What is she doing out here Haru? And how did you come to be with her?" Mikio asked.

"Eheh...Sorry guys...I've been married to Megumi-chan for awhile now, and have been going here and there...and uh...the Rosuto group is heading for Konoha..." Haru answered his friend.

"So...what now?" Mikio asked.

"Well, I was ordered to come fetch you guys," Haru said, "But I wouldn't mind having my fill o' the food for a bit."

So the three men and one woman finished the food, packing up the food for Jiraiya that they would give him once they were reunited with him.

Once Haru brought the three to the Rosuto group where Jiraiya was no longer in a coma, but sitting on the ground with his mouth open and gaping like that of a goldfish's.

"So...now what?" Haru asked while annoucing his presence.

"Well, we got time...three days to go before we get to do a Konoha meet and greet," one of the other men in the group said.

"Personally I'd like to go snake hunting...but danggit! Juushu-sama said 'go to konoha, wait for me there'. The hell man!" one of the men excalimed.

"Uh...excuse me," Mikio said while raising his hand like an academy student.

"Yes, Mikio-san, what is it?" Tsukiko said.

"Why are you going to Konoha?"

"My husband apparently has some unfinished business there."

"Oh...why'd you people do whatever you did to Ero-sennin?"

"He deserved it!" the group collectively shouted causing Mikio to fly back a foot or three.

"Ok, ok."

"So guys...when do we get to it?" another of the group asked.

"Get to what?" Haru asked.

"Going! Konoha awaits!"

"Err...could you guys introduce yourselves...?" Jiraiya asked.

"Oh, right, manners and all that...I'll start I guess...I'm Rosuto Tsukiko," Tsukiko said.

"I'm her daughter, Tokage Yoshiko, married, my hubby is no longer around though..." Yoshiko said, she being a nearly mirror image of her mother, nearly, but not that close.

"I am the same dragon rider that sent you tumbling through time, the name's Kuraku Yuji."

"My descendant is married to Haru, I am Shokon Yahiko, and I must say, your spy network was eas to infiltrate."

"Giman Ryuu! I wanna see how good your Hokage really is in the field of medicine!"

"You already know me, Jiraiya-san, I'm Giman Kazuo, head of the Giman clan."

"Jiraiya-kun, I hope you didn't forget me, I'm Asahi Megumi, still the head of he Shokon clan."

"You're the one who's closet we got stuck in!" Jiraiya shouted in realization.

"Yep!"

"I'm next. I am Genri Tamotsu, I'll say this, those Nara aren't as troublesome as many believe them to be."

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya asked.

"We got a few Nara scattered around the Tenshi province," Tamotsu answered.

"The name's Musha Toru, and don't you forget it! My sister is the girl that looks like me!"

"Yo! I'm Emiko! I'm Toru's sis in case ya didn't know, that dude over there," she pointed at one of the still unintroduced men, "is the love of my life, haha!"

"I'll be last..." Emiko's husband said.

"Alright, my turn then," said a middle aged man, "I am known as Tabou Tama, commander of the Nairan Army. Nice to finally meet you Jiraiya-sama, your record of the history of Nairan was masterfully written."

"Thank you..." Jiraiya said.

"Suna would bow before me if they only knew who I be," another of the men said.

"Who are you?" Mikio asked.

"I'm glad you asked Mikio-san, I am Hyakume Tsuneo, and artist as well as a Kugutsu master! I am the first student of Chikamatsu Monzaemon!"

"No shit!" Jiraiya and Mikio shouted at exactly the same time.

"Yep, and proud of it!" Tsuneo then struck a pose, and smiled with a blinding smile.

"To sum up who have introduced themselves so far...we have Tsukiko, Yoshiko, Yahiko, Megumi, Kazuo, Ryuu, Tamotsu, Yuji, Toru, Emiko, Tama, and Tsuneo," said a young man who looked to still be in his early twenties, "Then I shall add myself to the list. I am Noufu Kira, don't be fooled by my looks, I am older than this."

"My turn I guess," a beautiful black haird girl said, "I am Ichida Naruko, daughter of Rosuto Juushu, wife of Ishida Mori."

"Lastly, I am Rosuto Naruto, husband of Emiko, son of Rosuto Juushu. And no, I am not Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto."

"H-how did you know about that?" Jiraiya asked.

"One of my godsons informed me that you were looking for a Naruto, and well I am the only one in the whole of Rosuto no Kuni that is named Naruto. Otou-sama said that the name is very special."

"Damn right its special! Thats the name of my student!"

"Still missing student."

"Still student!"

"Missing!"

"Still"

"Missing!"

"SHADDAP! SHOULD WE USE THE SUPER BUSHY BROW GENJUTSU ON THE TWO OF YOU?!" Naruko asked.

"NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!" both men shouted at the exact same time.

"Good, now lets get a move on. Don't want to be late now do we?" Naruko rhetorically asked.

"and they call me sadistic," Naruto mumbled.

The combined group them made their way to Konoha, all of them with different purposes and reasons for going.

* * *

Somewhere else on the continent there was one man sitting ontop of a very high wall. He was just sitting there watching the horizon waiting for he time for his departure.

Rosuto Juushu was sitting on the the wall that surrounded his country, he was watching the rest of the world via charka pumped in his eyes to give him a sharper vision as well as the ability to see farther than normal. He was watching the rest of the world while eating popcorn.

He was also busy psyching himself up for his nearing encounter with his past and present. It would be quite fun he supposed. He had done so much in his long life. But there was still so much more things to do, one of them was getting Sasuke to go back to Konoha. Promises had to be kept afterall. He didn't need to become Hokage anymore, he had already achieved his dream after all, and then some.

Sitting on his wall he waited for the last second before he would jump of the wall and move to Konoha. There were a bunch of people with him on the wall, most of them being soldiers. Not that anyone would be dumb enough to attack Rosuto no Kuni and its seemingly impossibly high wall.

Nearly three days ago his generals, wife, and two of his children had met up with his other sensei's group. Today, was the day that Rosuto Juushu would return to Konoha, not as the Naruto that Konoha knew, but as Rosuto Juushu.

"Three...two...one..." Juushu counted the seconds down, and before he even said the word zero he jumped off the wall. The people around and near him immediately moved to the wall just to see their beloved leader vanish into the wind.

* * *

In a fortress in another dimension world, Kyonshi and his posse watched Juushu go. Their popcorn supply had finally run out, thus leaving them to eat pizza upon pizza.

_

* * *

Me thinks that me might be one card short of a full deck. So read and review, if you didn't like it don't even bother leaving a review. _

_To all those dudes and dudettes that like my fic: don't worry the ending is still very very far away._


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 19**

A large wooden gate, grown by the power of the Shodaime Hokage, loomed in the distance. It was a sight visible to the traveling group that consisted of Jiraiya and company. For one it meant salvation, a crue from the agony of forgetfulness, for another it was a foreboding symbol and sign for a horror that would come to pass. For others it was a sign of a brand new adventure.

The sight of the gate and its walls were normally a sight in themselves to behold, but to people who had lived a long life seeing even greater things it was the promise of a new experience that brought them excitement, and not the majesty of the walls that protected Konohagakure no Sato.

When the group was finally in range for the chuunin guards to see them, the group collectively pushed Jiraiya to the front. The chuunin guards were immediately able to recognize them.

The guards were given instructions as to inform the Hokage when Jiraiya would arrive, so one of the guards shunshin'd to report the arrival of Jiraiya.

When Jiraiya and company were signing in the log book of the gate, the Hokage had arrived at the gate with Shizune in tow.

Once Tsunade spotted Jiraiya among the crowd of people that he had brought with him, she walked up to him. Not seeing Naruto anywhere near him, she demanded to know where he was. Even the two gate guards wanted to know where he was, since they considered Naruto as one of their friends, the two guards being Izumo and Kotetsu.

Jiraiya stuttered out that he had absolutely no idea where the orange clad youth was.

Upon hearing the conversation Rosuto Naruto made his way over to the arguing _couple_.

"Excuse me," Naruto said.

Tsunade stopped her fist from impacting with Jiraiya's head so that she could pay attention to the new arrival.

"Yes?"

"My name is Rosuto Naruto of Rosuto no Kuni."

"Rosuto..Naruto?"

"Yes, ma'm."

"From Rosuto no kuni?"

"Yes, ma'm."

"Why are you here?"

"Otou-sama told us to come here and wait for him here."

"Your tou-san is...?"

"Rosuto Juushu, Daimyou of Rosuto no Kuni. Upon our arrival, the gates of Rosuto no Kuni have been opened to the world. We mean you no harm. Might we take our conversation to your office or to a meeting room?"

"Jiraiya? Is this true?" Tsunade asked the pervert she was holding onto.

"Ah..yeah..he really is from that country."

"How do you know?"  
"I've been there..so can we take this conversation to your office or something."

"Yes Tsunade-san, we really should move our little conversation somewhere more private," Tsukiko said entering the conversation.

"Tsunade, we really should. She's the wife of the ruler of Rosuto no Kuni."

"Ok, fine."

Jiraiya and company followed Tsunade to the Hokage tower to one of the conference rooms that the tower had. There the members of the Rosuto contingent sat down on the available chairs. Tsunade sitting down as well, with Shizune standing behind her. Jiraiya opted to stand.

After the Rosuto group introduced themselves, Naruto spoke.

"Otou-sama, just told us to meet up with Ero-Sennin, and come here. He said that he would be meeting us here."

"You've already said that. Is there any other reason as to why you would chose to be in Konoha?" Tsunade asked.

"Probably to form a peace agreement or something...not like it would matter if we were ever to go to war with you...hehe...our hidden villages are more than enough to overpower this pathetic waste of space," Kira said, which wasn't like him.

"How can you say that Konoha is a waste of space, your first impression is starting to sour."

"Nevermind..it was not my place to have said such an insult, I apologize."

"Apolgy accepted. Now why would you approach Konoha first, before any of the other nations and hidden villages? Why Konoha specifically and not the capital of Hi no Kuni?"

"Because Konoha is the birthplace of the one of the heroes of Rosuto no Kuni," a new voice said.

The new voice came out of nowhere. There was no visible new person in the room. The voice sounded like three people speaking at the exact same time, the sound coming out of the same mouth. It was a combination of a child, a young man, and an old man.

"Show yourself!" Tsunade ordered.

After hearing such an order the nonexistent wind in the room blew here and there, the ANBU that were hidden in the corners of the room were forced to reveal themselves. Jiraiya and his group of adventurers were all too used to such things happening around them that they were not affected by such winds, the Rosuto group at some point in their lives had experienced something similar.

Outside the room, outside the tower, above the village dark clouds started to converge. Thunder and lightning filled the darkened sky. The clouds had covered the sun. Gale force winds moved through the air, they were so strong that the shinobi had to use chakra just to stay in place, the civilians had to hang on to grounded things to stop from being blown away.

Then came the rain, from a sunny sky, to rain that fell on the village like a waterfall. The floodgates of the heavens had seemingly opened up and let loose the torrents of water that had been kept bottled up in the skies for centuries.

Once the first droplet of water hit the ground, the residents and inhabitants of Konoha and a few miles away from the village felt the ground shake and quake. After the first movement of the ground, another followed, followed by another, and another and another.

Looking up into the sky, the people could see the horror that was descending on the village. Black dragons were breathing gouts of flame, along with these flying behemoths were giant birds of prey, screacing in sky filling the hearts of many with terror.

Some of the people, most notably the Nara clan, witnessed the shadows moving on their own in the direction of the Hokage tower.

The Inuzuka clan noticed that their partners were howling like hounds from hell after the appearance of the first dark cloud. Some of the members of the feral clan had joined in on the howling.

The Aburame clan's bugs were flying around out of control, they flew unhundered by the rain or by the winds. They were all speaking incoherently, so much so that the Aburame themselves found it hard to pick up anything.

The seeds of chaos that had long been kept within the village, were suddenly all at the same time growing. They had taken root a long time ago, but it was only now that their purpose was being revealed.

Chaos and disorder was upon the village hidden in the leaves.

Within the conference room, the winds and the shadows were converging, much like the clouds outside, so were these two elemental forces, within the winds and shadows thunder could be heard, lightning could be seen on the surface.

Then suddenly, there was a deafening howl, one which reverberated throughout the whole village. Beyond the walls of the village a giant nine-tailed fox could be seen. It was towering above the tops of the trees. It too was howling, or more like roaring, announcing its presence to the village.

At the sudden appearance of the horror that struck the village all those years ago, those whose hearts were already filled with terror nearly collapsed from possible cardiac arrest.

If the Kyuubi were to attack the village now, there would be very little that they could do, since this time around there was no Namikaze Minato to sacrifice life, and son, to getting rid or sealing the beast. Luckily this Kyuubi aparition as not going to attack the already plagued village.

With one loud clap of thunder, there was a deafening voice that filled the ears of all those that could hear.

In the room that Tsunade was in, the winds and shadows had formed a steadily solidifying form infront of the Kage. Once the winds within the room died down, the occupants of the room too heard the voice, and the words of doom spoken.

"Konoha! I'm Ba-ack!" were the words spoken by the voice, and sitting across Tsunade, in his battle gear, sitting beside his wife and son, was Rosuto Juushu.

Outside all evidence that something monumental had occurred had vanished, the clouds, the dragons, the Kyuubi, everything, all that remained was the forest, the village and the people. Although secretly the dragons, rocs, and their riders were hidden in the surrounding forest.

Back in the conference room, all Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya could do was stare at the person sitting there, at Rosuto Juushu.

"So...Baa-chan, how ya been while I've been gone?"

Silence greeted him, well not complete silence, since Shizune, Tsunade, and Jiraiya had all fainted. The ANBU were tending to their unconscious forms.

"You think I went a bit too far?" Juushu asked his family.

"Not at all Tou-sama!" Naruto said.

"Maybe a little bit," Naruko said.

"They fainted, and you're asking if you went a bit too far?!" Tsukiko shouted in his ear, which caused the three unconscious people to return to the land of the living.

"Yo," Juushu said to the three other people he considered as members of his extended family.

"I've been through to much crap as it is, so I'll just sit down on the floor. Good to see you're okay Naruto..err Juushu."

"I was not expecting this to happen," Mikio said, as he spoke he drew attention to himself, which caused both Tsunade and Shizune to finally realize who he was, which made them faint, again.

"Did I say something wrong?" Mikio asked.

"Well, its like this Mikio, you look like this guy I once knew.." Jiraiya tried to explain, but was cut off by Mikio.

"I finally remember!" Mikio shouted as he jumped out of his seat, "I SHOULD BE DEAD! On a side note, Jiraiya remind me to kill the Voice next time we meet up with him or one of his friends or something."

"Heh, so...Miki-kun, who art thou then?" Haru asked.

Tsunade regained consciousness, but Shizune was quicker than her shishou. Shizune quickly made her way to Mikio, and pounced on him, hugging him tightly, as if expecting the man to suddenly vanish. He had told them that he had amnesia, but during the introductions the two women had not paid him much mind. But now, well, you get the picture.

"D-Dan? H-how?" Was Tsunade's stuttered question.

"I'll answer that one," Juushu said, "Kyonshi-sensei has a really different sense of humor, so does Hyakume aka the Voice as you lot have dubbed him."

"The Hell?! Juushu-sama, you're the reason Mikio knew that Jiraiya was missing a student and kept calling him Ero-Sennin?!" Haru asked incredulously.

"I thought that you'd be used to things like this by now, I mean after the produce incident, I'd have thought you'd have been used to it by now."

"You know about that?!" Haru, Jiraiya, and Mikio shouted at the same time.

"Yeah..hello! Prankster!"

"Definitely where I got my skills!" Naruto said.

After a few minutes of story telling, and explaining, the non-Rosuto people understood the story, in summary well, it really couldn't be summarized. But in the end the non-Rosuto people just accepted the bizzare tale as truth.

"Oh yeah, Ero-sennin, you might want to rush over to the hospital and look for your wife, its nearly _time,_" Juushu told his other teacher.

After hearing those words Jiraiya left a cloud that was shaped as himself in his place as he rushed towards the hospital. Ikkaku and Chang'e following him to serve as his suppport crew. Mikio left the room with a dazed Tsunade and Shizune to catch up with the two women. The ANBU were ordered to remove Juushu from the shinobi roster, as well as all records of his ever being a shinobi of he leaf, since it had been proven in the past that the leaf did not deserve to be affiliate with such a person.

Juushu tried to protest the removal of his achievements, but even someone like him could not persuade Tsunade, when she was in one of her moods, even a slightly dazed one.

The Rosuto contingent were told that they could either stay in a hotel or where they had arranged to stay if they had made prior arrangements, which they did. Juushu, through Rosuto Younen, had bought his apartment complex, and had all the hateful residents removed from it, aka evicted.

The complex would serve as the living quarters of the Rosuto contingent until they left the village for home.

After dropping off their things in the building, in vairous rooms, and after Juushu revitalized his plants, the group went their separate ways around the village. If there was one thing they all enjoyed, it was going exploring, each day being a new adventure in itself, it was good to add a few twists and turns in such a daily routine.

The people of Konoha somehow quickly forgot the specacular events that had just transpired, they would only remember such things once the whole village was informed about the recently revealed Rosuto no Kuni.

Haru and Juushu had decided to roam the village, Juushu in search of people he knew, and Haru since he thought that it was cool that he and Juushu looked somewhat alike, the difference being their skin color, and clothes. The two men decided that instead of walking they would zip through the village, at speeds that only the two of them could travel at and not get tired. It was a nice day to give several shinobi and kunoichi the shocks of their lives at the sight of two yellow streaks make their way around the village. Juushu's search for friends had mutated into a race between two speed demons, a little while later they were joined by an open gates Maito Gai and Rock Lee. All four men were screaming about the power of youth, the green pair doing it since it was what they did, Haru since it seemed like fun, and Juushu just cause it was fun, even though the hugging that the two green men did was still a bit unnerving.

Tsukiko, Yoshiko, Emiko and Naruko had decided to visit the local hotsprings and soak a little. Relaxation was a good thing every now and then. Their onsen time was going to be pervert free thanks ot Naruto who had decided to go to the onsen as well, and with his keen senses make sure that no one peeked on his wife, sister, stepmother, and stepsister. Even while relaxing his sadistic prankster side was still at the surface of his being. He had pranking tools sealed in his arms at all times, in preparation for any event that would call for their use or need.

While in the male side of the onsen, Naruto was accompanied by Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka, and Sarutobi Asuma. The three men did not pay Naruto any mind, until they witnessed the man vanish before their very eyes, a second later they saw another man flying above their heads in the direction of the Hokage Mountain, afterwhich Naruto returned to his place in the water, as if he had not momentarily vanished, and beaten the living out of someone.

The two jounin and one chuunin were speechless, so they opted to just stare at him, it was an eerie experience to one who usually made others feel unease.

"Could you stop staring, if I'd have known that Konoha had so many gay perverts I'd have just waited outside for my wife to be done with the hotsprings," Naruto told the three men.

The three men quickly diverted their eyes and sputtered incoherenetly but at the same time understandably that they were not gay, or perverts, and that they had a healthy interest in the opposite sex.

Kakashi's orange book being present, even while he was in the water, didn't help his case.

"So...um you knew here? I'm Umino Iruka by the way," Iruka tried to start a conversation with Naruto.

"Relatively new, my family is just visiting for the time being," Naruto said.

"Well, I'm Hatake Kakashi, just in case you didn't know, sorry about the staring, its just that it was such a surprising action."

"S'alright, my tou-san used to beat the blood out of me whenever I went peeking, I only realized why such an action was intolerable after my wife told me that there was someone who managed to peek on her."

"I'm Sarutobi Asuma, I guess I can sympathize with you, not that I'm married. But I do have a girlfriend."

"Well, since the three of you have introduced yourselves, I guess I should too," Naruto said, "I'm Rosuto Naruto."

At the mention of his name, the three men were shocked to find someone else with such a name, they totally disregarded the fact that he was a Rosuto, which was an obvious indication that he was someone of importance from the rumored Rosuto no Kuni.

"Who'd have thought that someone else would name a kid 'Naruto'," Asuma said.

"I'd never have believed it had I not heard it myself," Iruka said.

"Yeah.." Kakashi agreed.

"What's wrong with my name? You got a problem with it? I'll have you know that my tou-san gave me his old name. So if you got a problem with the name say so now, or I'll throw you three over the wall," Naruto said.

"There's no need for such actions, its just that someone we know is named Naruto, that's all. We have nothing against you, your family, or your name," Kakashi said.

"Alright then," Naruto said as he returned to looking out for perverts that would dare peek on his family, as well as half relaxing in the water.

On the otherside of the wall the Rosuto women were accompanied by Mitarashi Anko, Yuuhi Kurenai, Ichiraku Ayame, and Hyuuga Hinata.

Tsukiko was busy with making sure that her daughter was comfortable in the waters, acting just like a mother was, but a bit over the top in her actions. Naruko was trying to peek on the men's side, with Anko trying to help her. Emiko was just lounging around, sipping some sake that she had smuggled into the onsen. Emiko was also trying to get the young Hyuuga to have some of the bubbly. Kurenai and Ayame were talking about ramen for some reason.

While her mother was fussing over her like she wasn't a grown woman herself, she listened to the conversations of the other women around her. Emiko had managed to get the Hyuuga partially out of her shell after meeting a new person who. The Hyuuga had opened up and acted rather shocked or surprised to learn that Emiko was married to a man named Naruto. The young Hyuuga must have been thinking of a certain ex-Uzumaki, which was true. The young Hyuuga thought that she had missed her chance with her long time not exactly secret crush, when Emiko described her husband the young woman looked relieved. Boy was she in for a shocker to know that the man named Naruto was the son of the married man that the young Hyuuga was longing for.

A few minutes later, Emiko and Hinata were dragged into the conversation that Kurenai and Ayame were having, their conversation wasn't merely about ramen, but about the best ways to get a man. Supposedly the best way into a man's heart was through his stomach or something like that. Emiko said that in some cases with her husband it was true, the man would act like the obedient puppy at the mere mention of ramen, miso specifically. Once again that made Hinata get that longing look on her face for one reason or another. Ayame noted that her boyfriend was not exactly like that, he loved her cooking, especially her miso ramen, but for different reasons. Kurenai was trying to think of a way to get Asuma to pop the question, with Ayame giving suggestions by using ramen flavors as tools to explain or as metaphors.

Emiko's suggestion was for the woman to just do the job herself, though a bit unorthodox, it would or should get the desired results.

By the wall of the onsen, Anko and Naruko were still at it, they were still mashing their bodies together in an attempt to act like the men that they were attempting to peek on. For some reason the defenses of the men's side were more formidable than those of the women's side of the baths. Naruko hadn't realized that it was due to her brother being on the otherside of the wall that gave the men's side such a defense against peeking. The presence of Kakashi also added to the strengthened defenses of the men's side. But Anko and Naruko were determined not to loose to a few tricks employed by men.

Yahiko and Ryuu found themselves in one of Konoha's many bars, the two men wanted to see if they could get themselves wasted or plastered, in the fasted time possible. Little did they know that Morino Ibiki was also in the same bar as they were. Once the two men got drunk, fist and feet started flying everywhere, the two men had turned into berserkers bent on total desctruction of one another, it was worse than Rock Lee when he went into Drunken Fist mode. Ibiki had to call in some back up just to take the two men into custody and brought to the interrogation detention center, where the master of interrogation would make them spill their life stories.

Too bad Ibiki had never in his life encountered men who had worked for years for and with two Rosuto's that were more than clinically insane. Juushu and his son were more than enough to make any sane man immune to the tricks of the most experienced interrogation specialist.

At the end of the session it was Ibiki who was lying on the chairs while the two other men, who were just tipsy, were listening to the man's woes, life, story, problems, as if they were professional therapists, which only Ryuu was. Yahiko was the Rosuto Spy Master as well as Torture and Interrogation Master.

The ANBU that had gone in to check on Ibiki's progress were astonished and astounded to find the Tokubetsu Jounin being the one interrogated. The ANBU that opted to stay out of the single cell grew weary, their number kept decreasing and decreasing. Every ANBU that had gone into the room, had yet to leave it.

While Haru and Juushu were racing around the village, the women were in in the hotsprings, Ryuu and Yahiko were doing their thing in the ANBU HQ, Tsuneo had decided to do as the artist in him did best. He showcased his art to the youth of the village.

He went to a park that was filled with children, then he set up his mini stage, then brought out his puppets. He managed to entrance the children into watching his puppet show which showed the adventures that Juushu had gone through, as well as the adventures that Jiraiya and his gang had faced. Throughout the whole day, that is what Tsuneo did.

Secretly he had made other puppets, those life sized ones to walk into the park sometime after his presentation began. If people knew who his master was they still would have been surprised at what they would have found. The sheer number of puppets that were moving around would have made Akasuna no Sasori green with jealousy. But of course not everyone was able to spot the puppets for what they were. Not even Tsuneo's wife was able to do such a thing. Only his children and grandchildren, and all those that learned the art from him and his master knew how to spot them, but those students and other masters were still unable to spot them all. One of the reason why Tsuneo's clan was so large was because more than half of the members of the clan were actually just puppets.

Temari was one of the people who were watching the puppet show, alongside her was Shikamaru. The two of them saw witnessed the puppet show that was orchestrated by one man, and the two of them agreed that they would speak to him after his puppet show production.

Sometime during the afternoon one of the ongoing puppet shows had featured the story of how Monzaemon had destroyed a fortress with only ten puppets. That part was the one part of the whole production that caught Temari's eye. The story of Chikamatsu Monzaemon was one story that was rarely mentioned of told outside of Suna. This one puppeteer seemed to posess intimate knowledge about the legendary puppet master.

When the show produced miniature versions of the Chikamatsu puppets Temari didn't know what to think of the puppeteer anymore. With puppets so similar to the puppets of Suna's puppet mistress, Temari really wanted to know or just talk to the puppeteer.

Shikamaru didn't notice that something was odd about a third of the adults in the audience. On the outside they seemed like real people, but the mere presence of the puppet master controlling more than two hundred little puppets all at the same time, made the Chuunin feel uneasy.

It seemed that Tsuneo had noticed the curiosity of the Jounin and the Chuunin pair when he decided to bring out a puppet that looked exactly like him, he visibly gave the puppet the strings to the others and went to the pair to who's curiosity he had peaked.

"So..is there something about my collection that you want to know about?" Tsuneo asked the pair.

"Who are you?" Temari asked.

"What are your intentions towards the village?" Shikamaru asked.

"I?" Tsuneo pointed to himself, "I am Hyakume Tsuneo, Puppet Master at your sevice," he gave the two a bow, "As to why I am here? Well, I'm here on the orders of my Lord, Rosuto Juushu. He'll be staying in the village for a while."

"You haven't answered my question," Shikamaru stated.

"Oh, but I have. I am here on the order my Lord. That is all the purpose I need. My intentions towards they village? The same as those of my Lord's, whatever they may be. Worry not, your Kage has already met with us."

"You could be lying," Shikamaru said.

"Why would I lie? Why would I need to, when I, like my master before me, has the power and ability to bring down this village with but a mere, flick of my finger."

"Who is your master then?" Temari asked.

"Would you believe, Chikamatsu Monzaemon?"

"I'd like to, but, that would be impossible. That man lived more than a hundred years ago," Temari said.

"Alas, tis not true, my master still live this day. He lives in the province of Sakura in my homeland of Rosuto no Kuni. I'm sure you've at least heard of it."

"There have been rumors flying around the continent these past two weeks. How are we to believe that you are who you claim to be? Do you have some form of proof?" Shikamaru asked.

"Why, yes I do," Tsuneo said in a laughing manner, "My clan specializes in the art of puppetry, unknown to most of my clan, more than half of my clansmen are actually puppets. Proof of my mastery can be seen even here. As I am sure you, young Nara, have more or less guessed."

"You mean to tell me that I'm right. That a number of the adults in the audience of your little production are in all actuality puppets? Constructs of your imagination?" Shikamaru asked.

"Indeed I do. I would also have you believe that I am more than a thousand years old."

"Preposterous! No one can live that long!" Shikamaru exclaimed.

"You sound not like the Nara my Lord described to me," Tsuneo said.

"Shika-kun, he's kind of right in a sense, you aren't acting like yourself."

"You are acting like a young Nara I once had under my care," Tsuneo admitted, "But she left Rosuto no Kuni and my care some years ago, last I heard she had married and had a son. Perchance, would your mother's name be Yoshino?"

Shikamaru kind of fainted after hearing that question. Temari, tried and failed to revive him.

"I guess it must be true then, so young lady, do you perchance know the way to his home? I'd like to see how my one time student has been doing all these years."

"He doesn't live with his mother anymore, you know."

"Thats fine, if you can't wake him his mother should know how to."

"So is it okay to just leave your puppets alone?"

"Its fine, in a sense they have a life of their own, they'll make their way home, when the show is over."

"If you say so."

"I do."

Temari and Tsuneo brought Shikamaru to the home of his parents and not his apartment. The person that answered the door was not Yoshino, but Shikaku, the Nara patriarch. He bid them enter and bring his son in.

The two people brought the unconscious young Nara in the house and dumped him on the couch. Shikaku then led them to the kitchen where Yoshino was preparing dinner.

Upon seeing the women that his one time student had become, one who had yet to acknowlege his presence. He made his presence known.

"So, Yoshino-chan, what ever happened to marrying some crazy and active that would make you scream behind closed doors and blush at the mention of the 'act'?" Tsuneo asked loud enough for her not to be able to not hear him.

She immediately whirled around and saw Tsuneo, and did the first thing that came to mind. She blushed. A sight that immediately freaked out Shikaku since he had never expected his wife to act in such a way.

"S-sensei, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Juushu-sama let opened the gates and let us lost people out to be found! Haha! Its good to see you again. Your kid definitely takes after you."

"T-thank you. Uh..I dunno what happened hehe."

"I bet you do. Its the quiet ones, right?"

"Most definitely, and the lazy ones too."

"Well, it was nice seeing you again," he made to leave but was stopped when Shikaku grabbed him and forced him to sit, which took a bit of chakra to power his arms to do so.

"You know my wife, you've obviously not seen her in quite awhile, so why don't you stay for dinner," he then faced Temari, "You too Temari."

While Tsuneo was doing his thing in the park, which eventually led him to meeting his one time pupil again, Yuji was busy making arguing with Inuzuka Tsume about whose battle partner was better. Yuji verbally fought hard for his dragon, while Tsume argued that her dog was superior to Yuji's little lizard. She presumed that it was little due to its lack of being there.

"Why don't I show you my dragon you bitch!"

"Bring it on lizard boy!"

So Yuji led the way to one of the training grounds that he had encountered before meeting the bitch that had rubbed him the wrong way.

Once there he belted out an actual primal roar, which was answered by several others from within the forest beyond the training ground. To Tsume's immense surprise out of the forest walked a sleek black dragon. He was definitely not the dragon she was expecting.

"He's a bit smaller than his father, since I didn't think we'd be dealing with anything or anyone that could really do much damage to him. So, who's partner is better? My dragon or your dog?"

"I'll still say, my Kuromaru is still better than your dragon."

"Well I guess we'll have to settle things the old fashioned way, wont we?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Why, a spar of course!"

"Bring it on then lizard boy!"

"Kyuuzaki," Yuji shouted, then pointing at Kuromaru, "Roast that canine!"

A jet of flame in the direction of the dog was all that Yuji needed in order for him to know that the dragon had understood his command.

Kuromaru's honed reflexes were what saved her from being turned into a god BBQ.

Tsume and Kuromaru retaliated with their own attack, which unsurprisingly missed its mark due to Yuji jumping on the dragon's back and the two taking to the air. Which technically speaking was unfair.

The draconic pair would dive bomb the the two bitches, who would then try their luck at even just scratching the diving duo.

After a while Yuji grew bored of showing off the superiority of Kyuuzaki, he told the dragon to land.

Yuji then did a seal sequence and slammed his palms on the ground. Out of three bursts of smoke, the more dragons made their presences known.

"Surrender Tsume! I've got you out partnered!"

"Never!" facing Kuromaru she ordered the dog to perform the drill attack.

"Fine! Kyuuzaki, I choose you!" Yuji shouted, Kyuuzaki moved forward away from his three brothers, and awaited further orders.

"Kyuuzaki use Harden!" the dragon responded by curling, and covering his body with his wings, his black scales momentarily gaining a shining sheen to them, as it they had somehow hardened, which resulted in Kuromaru's drill attack doing nothing.

"Kuromaru! Use chakra and tackle it, you never know, that thing may actually be light since it can fly!"

Kuromaru being a nin-ken used some chakra and ran up to the dragon and attempted to tackle him.

"Kyuuzaki! Use scratch attack! Bat away that little thing!"

Kuromaru's attack was thwarted when she was swatted away by a dragon claw.

"Kyuuzaki! Now that the bitch is down use thunder breath! Fry that little bitch bad!"

Kyuuzaku breathed in, and was about to let out a blast of lightning at the dog but was interupted, when Kuromaru pissed on the dragon's eyes.

"Good job Kuromaru, another acid attack ought to do the trick!"

"Kyuuzaku! Get a grip! Its only acid! You sleep in a freaking volcano most of the time!"

"Kuromaru use acid spray again!"

"Kyuuzaki! Use Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

"RAOR!" before the acid spray could hit the dragon, the dragon's bushin was the one to get hit in its stead.

"If your dog can use chakra and jutsu, my dragon can do too!"

"How do you know about Kage Bushin?"

"Juushu-sama taught us! Kyuuzaki finish it off with tail whip!"

In the end Kuromaru and Tsume were knocked unconscious, the other three dragons flew off to join the rest of the flight hiding somewhere else in the forest.

At the end of the battle, Yuji and Kyuuzaki posed rediculously, complete with cap, and Kyuuzaki looked like a draconic version of a certain yellow mouse. After which Yuji bid Kyuuzaki farewell as the dragon reentered the forest to return to the rest of the flight. Yuji then created a Kage Bushin to help him carry the two bitches back to their clan compound.

Toru and Tama both accompanied each other as they went to the market district in search of some food, the apartment needed a lot of supplies in order to feed the Rosuto residents, as well as those konoha citizens that still lived there due to them being employees of Rosuto Younen. Toru and Tama had volunteered to be the ones to do all the shopping.

Along the way, they met Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura who had both volunteered to show the two men the way, since they started to get lost. The two young women were in it for the information gathering that they would be able to do. What they didn't know was that the two men were already aware of their intentions, and were also previously briefed about the two women. The two men were more than prepared for the not so subtle, to them anyway, manipulations that the women were going to try to employ.

Ino and Sakura were having a hard time in trying to milk the two military leaders of any of the information that they were worth. The two men were not letting anything slip, it was infuriating. The only things that the two men spoke about were the foods that they needed to buy.

Such a shopping experience was very taxing on the two women's nerves. They just couldn't get anything out of the two men, if only they knew that the two men were speaking in code, they were mocking the two women, but were telling the two women random things about their country, the only problem was that they were speaking in code.

Chouji or Ayama would have probably been able to decode the code, but the two women that were with the two men were not culinary experts, their limited knowledge of food was their information gathering downfall.

As they were nearing the apartment complex that the two men were staying in, Toru decided to give the two girls a bit of a break.

"You know girls, if you wanted information, you could have just outright asked. We would have told you, at a price," Toru said, he smile a little perverted grin.

"What?! No way!" Ino screamed.

"Pervert!" Sakura shouted and would have hit Toru if it weren't for the man's speed.

"Ah ah ah," Toru said as he waved his finger, "No hitting guests, wouldn't want to start a war now would we?" Toru asked rhetorically.

"Well then, ladies, if you wont oblidge us, we thank you for your assistance, you may now go on your way," Tama said, then handed the two women some silver coins, and shooed them away.

As the two men entered the complex, Toru decided to voice his thoughts.

"Tama, don't you think that last bit made them look like two hookers to the people around us?"

"Not at all, I was just giving them a tip after all."

"Yeah, I guess you are right, its not like those two girls look anywhere remotely near those kinds of girls, personally I'd prefer a Geisha."

"Toru, your wife used to be a geisha."

"I know that Tama, I know, but still, those two really didn't have all that class and sophistication."

"Toru, sophistication and class or not, I bet you'd have tapped their ass if they had given you the go signal."

"Maybe, the blondie maybe, pinky, no way reminds me too much of someone we both know."

"Yeah, prolly not pinky."

"Wonder if Juushu-sama'll let us go snake hunting tomorrow.."

"Doubt it."

"Life sucks.."

"Only sometimes.."

"I thought you were going to say something like only my life sucks."

"I was but it sounded so corny in my head that I changed what I was going to say."

While the other girls were enjoying themselves in the hotsprings and wherever they went after their little soak, Megumi walked around the village in search of something that she could so. Which resulted in her stumbling on Ebisu training the Konohamaru corps.

She watched the teens run up and down their designated trees. The tree climbing exercise. She was intimately faimiliar with it and its applications, and uses.

It was around twenty minutes of watching later that Ebisu finally acknowledged her presence.

"Miss, what are you doing here? This is a ninja only training ground," Ebisu asked.

"Oh, I'm not a civilian, and I'm just watching you four train."

"You don't look like a ninja to me, add the fact that you do not appear to have a hitai-ate."

"Well, my name is Asahi Megumi, and where I live I don't need some Hiatai-ate that gives away where my loyalties lie."

"Meaning that you are spying on our training since you are clearly not a Konoha-nin."

"I'm not spying, I've been out here in the open for the past twenty minutes, or are you such a pathetic jounin that you couldn't sense my presence and can't tell that I am the only one aside from the two ANBU that have been keeping watch over me who has been watching you train those three twerps."

"Are you mocking my status as a Jounin? I am an elite jounin instructor of Konohagakure no Sato!"

"Sure you are, so tell me why that saru-gaki idolizes someone who is not you?"

"How do you know about that?" Konohamaru walked up to the pair and asked.

"Oh, hello there Konohamaru-kun. As I told your closet pervert sensei, my name is Asahi Megumi, as to how I know well, lets just say that one of my relatives knows your idol."

"Really?! So do you know where Naruto-nii is?"

"Right now? Well, I think he's been zipping through and around the village, so I don't know his exact location."

"Oh, but you know him?"

"Yes, he's not a friend of mine, but of my relative, who is also in the village."

"Oh cool! I wonder when I'll get to show him my technique!"

"Well, he'll be staying in his old apartment complex, as will I, how bout you guys finish training and I'll wait for you, then bring you over there when your all done?"

"Ok Asahi-san."

"Just call me Megumi, drop the -san."

"Hai, Megumi," Konohamaru then faced his sensei, "Hey Ebisu-hentai stop stripping her with your eyes and teach us a jutsu!"

Kazuo and Tamotsu did not encounter anyone that knew Juushu, but in their exploring, they met a bunch of other jounin, chuunin, and a few gennin. They had managed to make their way to the red light district that not only had a bunch of fun houses, but a few gambling dens as well.

The two men were very experienced when dealing with the denizens of such places. Tamotsu even more so than Kazuo. Tamotsu's old profession used to make him go to such places and deal with such people. So it didn't surprise him when people tried to con the two of them into doing some things, which the two men wisely did not do.

Their goal was the gambling den that was run by one of the local yakuza groups, which was luckily about to lose its grip on Konoha due to the machinations of Rosuto Younen, which had a hand in the undreground and underworld. All that was needed was for the house to lose to two of the big player of Rosuto Younen, namely a Genri and a Giman.

Once the two men sat at separate tables to play, the yakuza locals zeroed in on them. They were watched like hawks, the two men would not be able to cheat in anyway. Not that the two men needed to cheat at all. They had magic at their disposal, technically with Poker, anything goes.

By nightfall the duo, had won more than they had originally planned on winning. The two men just hoped that Juushu would be happy about their achievements.

Noufu Kira's wife opted not live a longer than long life, and had died at a relatively early age, in comparison to her husband. The couple had loved each other dearly, but not enough for them not to have a side order of flesh or two.

Noufu Kira made his way to the red light district, not so that he could gamble but so that he could enjoy himself, out of the nine generals he was the second to the youngest of them all. But that was a good thing, since he intended to make the writer of Icha Icha proud.

At the end of the day, all members of the Rosuto contingent made found themselves in Juushu's apartment having dinner, and sharing it with a few guests. The only people that weren't there were Mikio, Jiraiya, Kiyomi, Ikkaku, Chang'e, and Tsuneo.

_To be continued..._


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

To The Forgotten Hero: Just think of the last chapter as a prologue or something, lack of detail, yeah I know. You really got me again with your review. I really don't know if I want to kiss you, kill you, thank you, or all three.

To Anonymous Reviewer named "Z": I don't know what to say to you.

* * *

**Lost**

**Chapter 20**

_Previously on Lost..._

_At the end of the day, all members of the Rosuto contingent made found themselves in Juushu's apartment having dinner, and sharing it with a few guests. The only people that weren't there were Mikio, Jiraiya, Kiyomi, Ikkaku, Chang'e, and Tsuneo._

,

,

While Yoshino was finishing her preparation of dinner, Shikaku wanted to know more about the past of his wife that until Tsuneo walked through the door he didn't know about. Temari was also just as curious about the life of the Nara head's wife.

"Why so curious about a past that she has not yet had the time to tell?" Tsuneo asked.

"It just never really occurred to me to ask her about her childhood..now that I think about it I really don't know all that much about my wife's life from before I met her" Shikaku admitted.

"Very well, its not so long a tale, there's is nothing all that special about it, but just to make you aware, those shadows you Nara pride yourselves in being able to control are not as under your command as you would like," around Tsuneo, in view of Shikaku and Temari, the shadow were moving on their own, some of which were detaching themselves from the surfaces that they were crawling on, these ones flew towards each other to form something that looked like a mirror, the clear part being made out of a lighter shade of shadow.

"View her mysterious past through this mirror of shadows and smoke," Tsuneo waved his had toward the mirror, "It is known throughout that Rosuto no Kuni is a land that lets none enter and none leave, but that is far from the truth, there are those that are allowed to come and go, and some that are forced to come and go."

The image in the mirror changed from being the reflected visages of the viewers to images of people going about their business, some vanishing into shadows, some into light, there were some that merely walked into a dark forest, and some that just flickered out of sight. None of the people that were shown in the mirror remotely resembled the specific Nara who in past had entered Rosuto no Kuni that the viewers wanted to know about.

The images swirled, shifted and changed, finally images of a small family was shown running through a forest. This family were the only people left in the mirror.

"You two might be wondering as to when this was," Tsuneo said referring to the event being shown in the mirror, "The family you are seeing is a family of one of the lost branches of the Nara clan itself, I say lost since it is a family that in the Nara clan history is written of as lost, lost forever to the sands of time."

"Uhm.." Shikaku began.

"Yes, yes, the when you wish to know, not the who. This one event occurred some five hundred years in the past. This family in question was running away the home of the Nara during that time, the rest of the clan were attacked, this particular family was not well versed in the combat arts therefore instead of defending the clan they fled."

Indeed the family didn't look like much of a family that had seen much action in their lives. The father in the family, along with the two sons, kept looking behind them, as if checking if they were being followed.

The forest that the small family of five were running through was the massive forest that covered the ground of Hi no Kuni. The shadows that littered the ground sensed the distress that the family was feeling. These shadows moved about even though it was night, the light of the moon and stars were not enough to influence the shadows, yet they were moving of their own accord. They swirled around the family, protecting them from whatever the shadows thought that they could protect the family from.

What the family was unaware of was that they had been running in the direction of the camp of the people that had been attacking the rest of the clan. The shadows were hiding them from the sentries. But the shadows were running out of night and darkness fast. They grew weaker every minute that passed since they started to protect the family.

By the time that dawn had arrived the family was nearly out of sensory range of the sentries of their enemies. The shadows released their protective grip far too early. The little girl of the group began to cry for some reason, she was a young one, a very young one probably around the age of three.

The crying travelled to and caught the attention of some of the sentries, which prompted them to seek out where the sound was coming from.

The men of the family realized that they were more or less caught, the father thought that maybe he should have stayed with the rest of the clan and fought even though he could not fight as well as the weakest of the ones that stayed behind. The family's chance of escaping the attackers had gone down to nearly nil.

The three men of the family decided to stay behind to buy the other two family members time to escape. The men not being that experienced with fighting lost their lives in rapid succession.

The cries of the child in her mother's arms led the pursuers to their position like moths to a flame. The sentries were upon the mother and child faster than, well they were faster than the mother.

The mother had arrived at the edge of a deep ravine, what lay at the bottom was not dicernable from the edge. While trying to figure out how to proceed with her escape, someone else chose for her, looking down she saw a blade protruding from her stomach, good thing her daughter's body was unharmed and above the blade. After realization sunk in, her reaction was swift, she dropped her own child down the ravine, her cries echoing and bouncing off the sides of the gouge in the ground.

The image in the mirror swirled and changed, then cleared to show what looked like a person mae completely out of the wind itself. It was a tornado that was shaped like a man, and in his arms was the child that had fallen into the ravine.

Shikaku and Temari could see that the man and child were moving over water, then they realized that it was infact the ocean. Suddenly they saw that man made of wind, and the child dove into the water. They witnessed that the chlid did not drown, and that she was now protectively carried by a man made of water. The pair moved deeper and deeper into the depths of the ocean. The farther down they went the darker the image became, until Shikaku realized that the darkness was not water but was shadow, that which his clan was known for the ability to manipulate and control.

The image in the mirror showed one man made of the shadows themselves hand the now sleeping child over to the shadows themselves. Then they heard the shadow man speak.

"_**Care for the child, she be of your kin, lost like the rest, keep her safe, four have sacrificed, let their sacrifice be not in vain,**_" the shadow man said, his voice having a duality to it.

The two viewers somehow sensed that the shadows had somehow nodded in agreement at the command.

The child was then cared for in the realm of shadows by all the shadows that were there. She spent three years getting to know the rest of the world through the shadows of the things that lived in the light. Somehow she could move about, and live in the land devoid of almost all light. The only light that could be found was the one that surrounded her form, and kept her separate from the shadows themselves. She was not taught to read and write but was taught some other things.

The shadows of the world taught her many things that would later on in life help her more than reading and writing ever would. The shadow realm was devoid of anything save for her and shadow, and that little bit of light. She was kept healthy by the food and drink that was given to her by part of shadows that were connected to those kinds of things in the land where all elements played in. Most times the food came from the kitchens of the one that had brought the child to the realm of shadows.

The one thing that the shadows drilled into her very being was that the shadows were not something to be manipulated or controlled, they were alive in their own way, they had a life of their own, but different from how humans viewed what life and sentience were. The shadows imprinted on her very being that when trying to do something that had to do with them, she would have to ask them instead of command them, for only one of the world she lived in could actually command the shadows, yet he rarely did.

When the child was six-years-old, she found a shadow that was not like the others, this one was not 'alive' it was just there, as if it were a door. So she asked the shadows around her what it was, they told her that it was just another shadow, one that would not remain there for much longer. It was the shadow of a thing that was about to cease to exist. They told her that she was witnessing a dying shadow.

Not really thinking about her next actions, the only thought that entered her young mind was that she didn't want the shadow to die, so she dived towards it, not knowing how to save a shadow she dove towards the shadow, which resulted in her passing through it. The shadows of the realm she had spent three years of her life waved as she left them.

The child flew out of the shadow of a training dummy that had moments ago been blown to smithereens. The shadow that died was that of the training dummy. That which caused its dmise was what appeared to be human, it looked like a monk, and it was poised in a battle stance. What differentiated it from a person was that its skin was the color of dried and polshed wood.

Upon seeing that a child had popped up from nowhere, the puppeteer rushed to the naked six-year-old's side. One of the puppets in the vacinity was ordered to get some clothes for the child.

He then brought the child to one of the rooms of his home where he had one of the female puppets clothe her.

"Now, child, who are you, and where did you come from?" the puppeteer asked.

The child was frightened since spending three years in a world of shadow had made her unused to a land with more light than shadow. She didn't know if she should answer.

"Child, I will not hurt you, nor will any of my puppets," the puppeteer tried to calm the child.

"I..I am Yoshino.." the child answered.

"Ahh..my lord mentioned you some time ago..yes..you are Kagekodome Yoshino, yes?"

"Hai.." Yoshino answered shyly. She was not used to interacting with other humans.

"Alright then, since the shadow realm has allowed you to come to me, I shall care for you from now on, just as the shadows have done for you, until such a time that you are able to fend for yourself. Is that alright?"

"Hai.."

The puppet master took care of the child as if she were his own child, the puppet master had children of his own, most of which looked even older than he did, but that didn't matter, they all treated her as part of the family.

She was allowed to meet others of the Nara clan, a branch that had separated from the main clan, and had wandered into Rosuto no Kuni during the days when the country was being founded and populated. These ones were like her in the sense that they did not claim to have complete and utter control of the shadows that helped them in their everyday lives, as well as the fights that sometimes occurred.

In some of the social circles that she found herself in, Yoshino was treated as lesser then men and boys, while in others she was treated as if all were equals. Rosuto no Kuni was a utopia in itself, but not all things ca nbe perfected.

When she was at home with the puppet master, she was taught many things that the shadows had failed to or did not want to teach her. She learned to read and write, as well as how to use puppets and wield a sword.

When she was around sixteen, she had grown to be a sometimes outspoken young woman, most of the times she was quite, reserved, while some other times she was loud, brash, or just freely spoke her mind.

There was a time that she had some friends over for a sleep over, these friends being from families that were free to come and go from Rosuto no Kuni at their liesure. It was as if someone had been manipulating their lives to be in such a way that those from outside would be somehow find each other.

Her friends had, mostly girls, had asked her what kind of guy she wanted for a boyfriend or husband in the distant future. Before she could answer, the puppet master entered the room they were in carrying a tray loaded with food and refreshments, he too was curious, stating that he wanted to know who he was going to have to send out his assassination squads to, of course that was a joke.

She admitted that she wanted an active guy that spoke his mind, not someone lazy, and boring most of the time. A fine example being Ichida Mazoku, he was the great-great-grandson of Ichida Mori, he was all those things and more, but one of the things that he wasn't was that he apparently was not all that fond of girls, good thing was that he wasn't the heir.

One problem with her choice of men was that most of those that she became attracted to only found her beautiful, but once they got to know her a little bit better, they chose not to pursue a relationship with her due to one half of her personality. When she turned eighteen a few of the Nara clan visited her to invite er to join them, they planned on leaving Rosuto no Kuni for Hi no Kuni, which was said to serve as the home for the Main branch of the Nara clan. She being one of them might like to go there for a visit or something. They then told her that they planned on leaving in a few days, and should she choose to go with them she would need to be by the wall closest to Kaze no Kuni before the time of departure.

Having been unable to find fulfillment in Rosuto no Kuni she bid farewell to the puppet master and the rest of the Hyakume clan, as well as to some of the friends that she had made during her stay in the country. With a storage scroll securely stored in a storage seal tattoo she left the Hyakume clan compound.

Travelling around Rosuto no Kuni didn't take all that long, as long as one knew where they were heading. The time it took to travel from point A to point B depended on the person or people travelling.

As soon as Yoshino left the compound she walked out of the city in the direction of the place where the rest of the Nara that were leaving were waiting.

Yoshino found out upon reaching her destination that there was a war going on in the world beyond the borders of the country. The people that would be escorting them were working for Rosuto Younen, the mother company of all of Rosuto Juushu's businesses inside and outside the country. These people would be taking them further into the future than merely tomorrow. The war that they spoke of was known as the third great shinobi war, where many legends were either born into or made. The group would be joining Konohagakure no Sato, their reason for joining being that they grew tired of merely hiding in the shadows, and that the war needed more people in it to help make it stop. The Rosuto Younen agents would help them join the Konohagakure forces.

They were warned that the world beyond the borders was different from the world that they knew, and were aware of, there were many differences. Even after being warned fo such things, many of those that were leaving still wished to leave, including Yoshino. They were also informed that once they left, there was little chance of them being allowed back in, even to just visit. A few decided to stay, but there were still those, like Yoshino that decided to still go out into the unknown.

The massive gates that towered before the group was not opened up for them, instead they were ushered onto an elevator that would bring them to the top of the wall. Once there the group disembarked from the eleveator platform, and led to the edge of the wall, where a man made out of shadows was sitting and apparently waiting for them.

"_**I see you have arrived**_," the shadow man spoke to the group, "_**Jump off the wall and into the mists, they will do the rest**_," he then looked at the unresponsive group, "_**Well? What are you waiting for? JUMP!**_"

After the shout of 'jump' the Nara that were on the wall did just that, they moved as if they were compelled to do so by some genjutsu. As they fell, the Rosuto Younen agents followed them.

They all landed in a heap on scorched earth that must have seen battle recently. As they regained their balance from their awkward fall, the Rosuto Younen agents informed them that a battle did indeed take place on the ground that they were all standing on.

Apparently the battle was far from over, in the distance some of the Nara heard sounds of fighting, the RY agents thought that looking into the matter would be beneficial to the Nara, so they all went to investigate.

The group found a battle that was still raging, between two forces, one whose hitai-ate bore the symbol of a leaf, and the other group sported a different one.

Since they were to join the leaf, the group decided to aid the Konoha-nin in their battle.

The Konoha forces were made up of members of three of Konoha's most notable clans, the Yamanaka, Akimichi, and the Nara. It was fortunate that the Rosuto Naras had stumbled upon this battle, since it would allow them easier access to the village in which they too wished to be a part of. Five hundred years had not dulled the Rosuto Naras' fighting ability.

With their affinity with the shadows they struck the rear of the Iwa forces. The shadows slithering across the ground at alarming speeds. The speed in which the shadows and the Rosuto Naras were moving had surprised not only the Iwa-nins but also the Konoha-nins.

Due to the opening that their surprised states brought, the Iwa-nin were slaughtered, by the joint forces of the Rosuto Nara, and the RY agents that had made themselves known.

In order to leave no trace of a battle having taken place in the area, the shadows themselves took it upon themselves to swallow up the corpses. They also spat out some semblance of life back into the foliage.

The last image that was displayed on the mirror was one of a twenty-year-old Shikaku being introduced to the youngest member of the Rosuto Nara group, Kagekodome Yoshino.

"And the rest they say is history," Tsuneo said, just as the shadows retreated back to where they once were, or were supposed to be.

"The civilian members of the clan, are from those that joined up during the third great war? Whoa, I wouldn't have thought about that, my wife I can believe, but those guys that pose as civilians..who'd've thought," Shikaku said.

"So..basically Shika's mom has always been a Nara, but was brought up differently due to circumstances, did I get that right?" Temari asked.

"Hai, you did," Tsuneo answered.

"So why then hasn't she used any of her puppetry skills? I haven't seen hide nor hair of a puppet, unless it was being controlled by a Suna-nin," Shikaku said.

"Heh, you'll have to ask your wife that yourself, I may know her from before, but I don't know everything, plus the thing you just witnessed was from the memory of the shadows that have been watching her all this time," Tsuneo said.

"Dinner's ready! Get over here the lot of you!" was the shout that came from the dinning room of the Nara clan head's house, "Wake that lazy son of mine too!"

"Temari-san go on ahead, I have something that I need to tell Shikaku-san," Tsuneo told the blonde girl.

Once Temari had left, and Shikamaru was forced to wake and made to walk to the kitchen via some chakra strings, Tsuneo faced Shikaku.

The clan head stiffened as the gaze of the puppet master met his eyes. Shivers started trailing up and down his spine. There was a terror in his heart that he never knew he would experience of feel. He saw as the shadows once again moved on their own, without any visible prompting from anyone. The shadows then converged on the standing form of Hyakume Tsuneo.

"_**Since WE see that she has had a happy life with you, to the extent that you share a son, and seeing as WE did not have the chance to meet you before you became man and wife, WE shall say this, if you hurt her any time in the future, WE will know about it, and if and when that happens we will hurt you so bad that what the Kyuubi did will look like a child's temper tantrum, are WE clear?**_" Tsuneo and the shadows asked the Nara clan head in a whisper, their voices had joined together.

"C-c-c-crystal," Shikaku answered fearing for his life if he answered differently.

"Good," Tsuneo said as the shadows returned to their previous places and positions, "Now that I've don that, shall we get to dinner? I'm famished."

"H-hai!"

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Some hours after the chaos had subsided and disappeared from the minds of the Konohagakure no Sato populace, the Aburame were having some problems with their bugs. The effects of the elements going nuts had yet to leave the Aburame bugs.

Aburame Shibi was one of the puzzled bug-users that were trying to desperately understand the chattering of the tiny creatures. Clearly the bugs were communicating with each other so fast that the humans couldn't help it if they couldn't keep up.

It had already been a few hours since the Kikai began their chattering, and the Aburame were starting to panic, such an event was unpresidented, but what they didn't know was that that was not true. Such an experience had occurred sometime in the past, long before the Hidden Village among the leaves was even founded. Back during a time in which the shinobi clans were all either roaming the countryside or were hidden in their own little villages.

The bugs were not chattering on about some great catastrophe that had befallen them, or anything morbid, but about a time or events that had led to their alliance with the humans known as the Aburame.

Many clans the world over could claim to have a connection with a species of bugs, many could also claim kinship with such little giants in the world. The Aburame was one clan out of many that at some point in time had made a pact with the insects.

The Aburame clan was not the first clan or people that had made friendly contact with the bugs. There was a people that had gained friendship of the bugs long before any Aburame or their kind did. The first true interaction between man and bug was the one that allowed future bugs and humans to form these pacts and alliances that made some clans what they were known as and for today.

The history of the bugs was long, longer than any history in which man kept, or even remembered for that matter. The human denizens of the world were still in the recovery stages of their race. Where once not a scap of land or sea was not occupied or chartered, the world was once under the thumb and control of the human race, then disaster struck, which led the world to plunge into darkness. Out of this darkness came a time ruled by something that wasn't man, they weren't even beasts. Once they too met their end, the first humans once again made their appearance. They slowly crept out of the darkness, and into a world where the sun once again shown for close to half a day and where the moon governed the sky during the rest.

When the world was populated but not enough for word to spread like wildfire as it was during the dawn of the age of chakra. People were still scarce, but during this time bugs were the ones that had taken over the world, these were remnants of the age previous, they were each literal giants. But that did not mean that there were smaller ones.

One would think that a great race such as the race of the bug, there would be equality and order, but during those days, it was not so. These giants in the world had grown far to large, the world may have been vast, but it was not large enough to hold the numbers of the bugs that grew exponentially each passing day. It seemed that just as soon as the Bug Age had begun, it was going to end as well, taking all life, which included the entire race along with it. Destruction was eminent, and there appeared to be no apparent way to solve the problem in which the bugs were facing.

The humans of that age feared all manner of bug, to the point of hating their very existence. Each and every bug that they could find was eradicated completely. Bugs did not always fear fire, but due to man, they feared it above all else. Fire was a weapon that man had discovered, and used to the best and worst of their abilities in inumerable ways. They exterminated trillions upon trillions of the smaller bugs thinking that they were the offspring, the next generation of the giants that roamed the world. When in fact they were not.

The tiny critters feared that armageddon was upon them, since they could collectively hear the mournful and anguished cry of each and every one of their brothers and sisters as each one was devoured by flame. Not only did they have to contend with their bigger relatives for resources such as sustenance, but they also had to deal with the bug hating humans as well.

One day it came to pass that the world's bug problem had grown to such an extent or to such a level that the bugs began to fight amongst themselves, the rest of the world could sense their eminent demise. But even that was not meant to be.

On the continent known as Elemental, even then it went by such a name, there was a deep crater filled with green, it was a lush forest filled with life, but not the kind that could or would be found just about anywhere. This one contained bugs of different kinds, or different species, there were bugs here from all over the world. It was as if the crater or basin was going to be the Noah's Ark for the bugs. It was a fortified home for the bugs that had called the place theirs. Their bigger relatives were unaware of its existence. These bugs knew that the end was upon them, along with the rest of the world, but they still held hope that there was still a possibility that someone or something would come to put an end to it all, avert the disaster.

There was a bright flash of light that illuminated the skies of the world. This flare of such brilliance lasted for more than a day and less than a week. It reality it was a wave of hellfire, the epicenter of which being right above the center of the unaffected basin of life. The wave ravaged the land, sparing so little of what life there was on the planet. Within the span of a few hours, almost all the giant bugs had been incinerated in the blast.

Once the fire had returned to their starting point they all vanished from the world, not to be seen again for a long while. The first foreign sight that the bugs in the basin saw was that of one man, one sole human. The ones closest to him saw that his hands were burnt, as if he had commanded the fire, and had shielded them from the blaze.

Each specie decided to confront this human, that had either come to see if they were well or come to finish the job. Each kind of bug sent one representative. There being more than eight hundred thousand different kinds of bugs, it was a sight to see.

The man sat on the forest floor careful to not sit on any of the little critters. He told them that he had seen the things that were happening all over the world. He also claimed that another, an Enlightened One had said that what had happened had to happen, but there were some that would have to survive. The bugs were surprised at such news. There were even more surprised that a human could speak and understand them.

The man further told the bugs that the world had reset or restarted itself, a new age had dawned. But instead of acting as those in the past had acted, the little critters along with all the other denizens of the world would have to work together for a brighter and longer future.

Unknown to the bugs, there were other enclaves of life scattered across the globe, just as there were smaller pockets of humanity that were also scattered across the globe.

It would be several tens of thousands of years before the world would reach the point that Chakra would be introduced to mankind, but to the creatures that lived far closer to nature, that little bit of energy was introduced right away.

Before the man left the bugs, he left them with something that the bugs decided to believe as a prophecy, there would come a time when their existence or their collective lives would be in peril, and there would be a group of humans that would come to their aid, what they would do at that point was up to the bugs. After leaving that little piece of advice the man vanished.

During his appearance among them, as well as his leaving, some of the more sensitive bugs felt a certain kind of power, the feeling they passed on to their descendants, and those to theirs, and so on, hoping that the day would come that they would once again feel the presence of their savior.

The bugs of the Aburame clan, felt that day arrive, the feeling of power that the man gave off was ingrained into their very DNA. This was one man that they would fly or crawl to the ends of the world for.

Aburame Shibi only realized, sometime nearing midnight, that the only way that he would know what was going on was to directly ask the Kikaichu, or at least one of them, what all the commotion was about. Once he did, it took him two hours of communicating with the tiny thing, just to find out that all the bugs, not just theirs were more or less celebrating and retelling the story of the time when the world was cleansed in wave of hellfire, and they were visited by one man, that was impossibly a man. The bugs of the present believed the man to be some kind of avatar of a god. In a sense they were correct.

To alleviate the panic and stress that the Aburame clan was feeling, the human members that is, Shibi was forced to tell the tale that the tiny critter had told him, in as much detail as he could.

Within the shadows of the forest behind the Aburame clan compound, a troop of onigumo listened to the tale of an event that they were not lucky enough to be a part of yet, was a part of their history.

'_Juushu-sama really is crazy..._' one of the older onigumo thought to itself.

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After the grand of show of special effects had ended and most people forgot that it had even occurred, the Inuzuka dogs were moving around the compound cautiously, as if waiting for an attack of some sort to occur. For in the canine history a small part of it had reemerged due to the energies that had filled the village earlier that day.

This small bit of history had left the canines on edge, the event that occurred, occurred many thousands of years in the past. Back during the days that only beasts walked the world, and no human had yet been able to walk the world as a major power, or walk the world at all.

Back in those days giants walked the world, many a different race ruled their own little parts of the vast world in which they lived in. The toads had control over a mountain range and a valley in between. The canine had taken a patch of forest, a few caves, and a mountain to call their own. The foxes had ruled over a vast track of flat land. The seas were ruled in many part by different creatures. The world was vast, and many parts were left unexplored. There was peace in the world, until greed for land, and pride set in on the many races. The giants of the races decided to wage war on one another. Alliances were made and broken. Friendships were kept or torn asunder. Many battles took place, until all that was left were the younglings kept safe in the hidden areas of the world which were kept away from prying eyes through the use of magic.

At the tail end of the war, there were only ten sentient beast clans remaining willing to do battle with one antoher. The Cat and the Dog did not have the fiercest of rivalries, it was a rivalry between the Fox and the Dog which would later affect the way all beasts communicated.

The battle was a long and fierce one, fox and dog used up all the magics that they knew to beat the other into the ground, when that didn't work they resorted to using illusions to confuse their opponent. When even that did not allow them a clean hit, or an opening they resorted to using physical force to bash the brains out of one another.

Back in those days the land was whole, and the waters were one. But due to the brutality of the fox and the dog, and the other eight races, the land shattered into many parts, the waters moved as well.

Among the two rival clans the clan heads were the greatest rivals of them all. The dog had five tails, yet had the power over six things, five elements and a mastery over illusions, while the fox had nine tails, power over ten thing at its disposal. The dog had chosen illusions over power, since the foxes were known for their tricks and illusions, the foxes chose power that they might overwhelm the superior dogs with some added strength. One would think that five and nine were not equals, but so great was their rivalry that each made it possible to stand toe to toe with the other.

The battle raged on, the ten races fought for dominance, many of their respective races had fallen in the course of the fued. The reason for the war had been lost to time, that not even the eldest of the sages could tell what had truly caused it all.

When it came to the point that the world was about to be torn into two, a blinding flash of light illuminated the skies. After the light show had died down the two monster that were about to literally tear the world a part saw that right smack dab in the middle of the two of them, was a man in red. He looked at each of the ten heads in the eyes, and spoke, not in words but with visions directly implanted into the heads' heads.

These visions showed the races their futures on the world, which would serve as punishment for nearly tearing the world apart. A small percentage of each race would be allowed to keep their sentience and knowledge, but most would not.

Due to the war many had disappeared but one collective race of creatures that was wiped out were what would later be known as dinosaurs, none of those survived on the world. No evidence of the monumental battle would remain due to the remaining sentient members collecting the bodies of the fallen and properly disposing of the remains, all the while making sure that the ashes would return to the earth to prepare the world for a brighter, and hopefully greener future.

But before all the changes could be made, the fox had one more thing up his non-existent sleeve, it cursed its rivals, while the dogs did the same. Each curse had no exact dimensions or rules. But all it boiled down to was that should either race feel the presence of the one who would interupt their battle, they would either have to forget their differences and acknowledge the other as being superior and give the punisher a little bit of payback, or continue where they left of.

The curse only applied to one world, their world. Therefore when the Bijuu arrived on the world, there was no climactic battle that rent the world asunder once more.

But due to the energies that Juushu released unto the village, that little piece of history was released, add in the fact that the visage of the nine-tailed fox had allowed some bad and sad memories to resurface, and there was no way in heaven or in hell for the rivalry to end.

Too bad for the Inuzuka canines that there were no foxes within one hundred miles of Konohagakure no sato. The only foxes that ever visited were either demonic, spiritual, or alien to the world as a whole.

The rivalry extended to the races as a whole, more or less, there were always some exceptions, and the curse didn't really exist, it was not allowed to take effect, the popcorn eating one did not allow it to, but the two races did not know that.

The members of the races that kept the knowledge, and passed down the knowledge to the next generation were the elders, or alphas of the packs, these alphas would get their information from the leaders of the race, these leaders would be the elders of the 'clans' that were in constant hiding, only seeing the rest of the world outside of their little hidden space when they were summoned by a lucky summoner.

The beast war is the reason for the existence of the beast summon clans.

Unlike the Aburame clan which were told about the history of their race, the Inuzuka were unlucky enough to not think of asking the dogs why they were so cautious. But even if Inuzuka Tsume had asked Kuromaru, she would not get an answer, for the dogs did not like that particular part of their history, even the dog has a bit of pride. But apparently not all of the dogs of the clan were affected as such, seeing as Tsume and Kuromaru got into a fight that pushed aside all wondering or cautious thoughts aside.

_To be continued again..._


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Warning #2: Someone said that this thing may be on crack, well for some parts I'd like to agree with that person.

Reminder: Rosuto Juushu = Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto

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**Lost**

**Chapter 21**

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The Night before the members of the Rosuto contingent that were at the apartment complex during dinner had shared with the Konoha citizens the history of Rosuto no Kuni. Juushu told his Konoha friends about his adventures.

The Konohamaru corps were skeptical at first about the authenticity of the stories that the Rosuto group told them, but it took Juushu a little show of power to convince the three genin and one jounin that the stories were true.

The Konohamaru corps and Ebisu weren't the only Konoha citizens that attended the dinner, there was a Hyuuga, a Hatake, another Sarutobi, an Umino, an Ichiraku, a Mitarashi, a Maito, a Rock, and a Yuuhi as well.

Hinata didn't know how to react knowing that she had finally lost her chance with Naruto, she was a thousand years too late, she shouldn't have acted so timid, and just acted when she still had the chance, now due to her hesitation she no longer could get the man that she had loved all her life. Lucky Shino and Kiba.

Ayame and Iruka were happy for Juushu, that he finaly had one of the things that he had secretly, or not, wanted to have all his life, a loving family. Of cource, Juushu had a rather large family at this point in time, due to his considering all his friends, and the people of Rosuto no Kuni as his family.

Kakashi was glad that his student had a place in the world for himself, he was glad that he had found even more people who belived in him, who respected him, who acknowledged him, and who loved him. The only thing that bothered him was how the rest of the village was going to react to the knowledge that the Kyuubi no Jinchuuriki had an entire country supporting him, and could potentially wipe out the village in revenge for their previous actions. Kakashi voiced his concerns to Juushu, and was told not to worry all that much about it.

Anko found the revelation that her peeping compatriot was actually the daughter of one of the biggest anti-perverts in existence, actually just the fact that Naruko was Juushu's daughter was surprising in itself.

Kurenai felt a bit of pity for her former student and young friend, Hinata, she along with a whole plethora of people knew about the girl's crush on the blonde haired formerly little hellraiser. She knew that the girl would have to come to terms and accept the fact that Juushu was taken, and unless the dark blue haired Hyuuga wanted to become a concubine, she had no chance with the blonde.

Kurenai was one of many Kunoichi that believed that there are things that only women could do right, one of those things being cooking, during the meal she was surprised to find out that their meal was made by Juushu and not his wife. When she asked how some simple minded idiotic deadlast was able to become as good as he was with the culinary arts, she was asked if she knew about the advantages of lots of chakra and a mastery over Kage Bushin no Jutsu. That answered her question.

Asuma, wasn't all that familiar with Juushu, but saw him enough times in the past. He found it quite surprising that someone who was once so loud, and had horrible table manners, had become nearly perfect. Nearly since there were times that Asuma saw glimpses of someone who wanted to act in a different way.

One of the things that Asuma learned while the dinner was ongoing was that Juushu disallowed smoking during meal times. Asuma learned this due to his attempted lighting of one of his cigarettes, it just wouldn't light, as if some force was preventing it light. Juushu had discreetly used his superior will to supress the existence of smoking in his domain. His imagination put a dampener on the realm of smoking.

Gai and Lee were intrigued with the stories about the battles and fights that Juushu got into. They would have shouted and ranted about the power of youth, had Juushu not allowed them to shout within in presence. The two spandex wearing men were forced into speaking normally or not speak at all. The training that the soldiers and the vairous warriors, and even regular citizens of Rosuto no Kuni went through interested the two taijutsu specialists. They asked one of the Rosuto Elders, Juushu's generals and councilemn, to elaborate and share what they could. It was not everyday that one got the chance to catch a glimpse of an unknown training method, or a long forgotten one, or one from a country that one thought never even existed.

The guests of the dinner were invited to spend the night in the apartment complex, which they all accepted. Hinata had no choice due to the fact that she didn't think that she would reach her home with the information which she had just received.

Once all the guests that night were safely and securely tucked away in the beds or futons which they were provided, the Rosuto group went to the kitchen, which Juushu expanded, and had a meeting.

Juushu opened with a list of the things that they were going to talk about. The plans of the 'now what' were drafted, and some were finalized. As soon as the sun rose above the horizon, the invasion of the rest of Elemental would be taking place. Juushu did not plan on taking over the rest of the continent. He merely wanted to root out the organizations and groups that he believed to be a danger to his people. One of these organizations being Akatsuki, another being the Jashin cult. Not that Juushu had anything against Jashin, but the god's followers and worshippers were a bit extreme in their practices, and needed to either be converted to the true Jashin relogion or eradicated. Another group that Juushu intended to destroy, or more like reorganize or something, was Orochimaru's Otogakure no Sato. Orochimaru was once a nice young man, with problems, dreams, and aspirations like any other person, he had also once in his childhood visited Rosuto no Kuni and Kyonshi's fortress, through accidentally falling through some shadows. There were a bunch of other groups and organizations, even a country or two that Juushu wanted the world to be rid of. But aside from these groups of people, there were also some individuals that the world did not need, some of them being not exactly human, or what one could call human.

His generals were assigned to different tasks, and priorities, one of these being the creation of alliances or non-aggression pacts with the other nations, not just hidden villages, temples, or just the samurais, but the entire nation.

Tsuneo, the only missing member of the contingent, would be given his orders the next time he was in the presence of his daimyou.

Once everyone exceopt Juushu were asleep, he left Hi no Kuni, and arrived a moment after leaving in his very own capital.

Once he had made himself relatively comfortable, he summoned his other high ranking military officers, and government officials. Even though it was still the middle of the night they all answered his call, and came to the meeting chamber as quick as they possibly could.

Once the last person that Juushu expected to arrive had arrived, and the man was sick to boot, he started his impromptu meeting. His summoned were unprepared for the meeting, some of them were sleepy, some of them were grogy, but the one thing that they all had in common was that they all were in their sleepwear, some of them in bathrobes just to hide the fact that they prefered to sleep in the nude.

Each of the people assmbled with given their orders, the military officials were ordered to gather the armies, and prepare for the closest thing to all out war. Even with Rosuto no Kuni's actual generals, the officers present at the meeting had enough authority to call all available people to arms.

Juushu instructed the military men to unearth the nearly forgotten war machines that were kept hidden meters below the earth, the army would be needing all the firepower it could muster. Being nearly forgotten did not mean that there weren't a few that were still on the surface. These few were used to train a number of soldiers in their operation.

Juushu had made sure that the ones in storage beneath the surface of the earth were in tip top condition, none of them needing to be repaired before being used. The only ones that needed maintenance were the ones that were continually in use, those that were used for training.

Even without Yuji, the Dragon Flights would be prepped and ready to leave at a moment's notice. Same went for the other beasts and creatures at the army's disposal.

The personnel of Rosuto Younen that were present at the meeting were given the orders to activate all sleeper agents in all every place that they had at least one, all the agents were to return home and submit complete reports of all the information that they had gathered. The spies that were under the employ of Rosuto Younen were also ordered to work double time in acquiring information on the best time to attack the targets, as well as to just send out the troops nearly undetected.

From what Juushu had experience when he first landed in what had become his nation, he was going to implement some of the things he had learned then to the other countries and lands in elemental. The continent would play by his rules. He wouldn't do all that the oppressors of the past, did, he would just mess with the economy and the way things in the rest of the continent were run. From order, he would create ordered chaos.

He expected that more countries would feel threatened than not from his actions, that being the reason why he ordered for the entirety of his armies to be ready to act at a moments notice. He had been allowed by some of Zombie-senseis friends to see glimpses of the most likely what would occur in the future of his world, therefore he knew that there was a great possibility that world war would erupt. Juushu would make sure that his nation would be ready for it.

The government officials that were present at the meeting were ordered to make sure that the public knew of some things that needed to be known by his people, some of which pertained to being prepared to a not so smooth future.

When the meeting was over Juushu shadow walked back to the apartment, specifically the room that his wife was in, and lay down to sleep away the remaining hours before the dawn.

* * *

It was sometime after breakfast that Juushu decided to meet up with the other people in the village that he had missed. Catch up with them so to speak. Even though that war with some parts of the continent was on the horizon, it did not mean that he couldn't have a bit of relaxation and fun.

His first stop of the day was the Hyuuga compound, he had volunteered to escort Hinata back to her home, his wife was secretly seething inside due to knowing that Hinata still liked Juushu. She had Naruto and Naruko tag their father. Once the four were out of visual range of Tsukiko, the two 'children' left their father to his own devices, it was a known fact in all of Rosuto, that Rosuto Juushu was unstalkable. The man didn't just sense when someone was spying on him, he knew that they were there. This ability of his was one of the reasons why thirteen Ne operatives were knocked unconscious, bound, gagged, and dumped by Kage bushins in a certain warhawk's office deep beneath the village.

While Juushu walked her home, Hinata had some treacherous thoughts running through her brain. She was secretly formulating a plan that would ensure that Juushu would have to form a harem and marry her. Due to all the events of the previous night and day, she had for some reason finally snapped, although it wasn't obvious on the outside, on the inside she had gone into Uchiha mode, on the outside she was still her somewhat shy and timid self. But the closer the duo got to the compound, the more and more did Hinata start to resemble the rest of her clansmen. The more and more her inner self went nuts, the more and more her softer outer self became harder and harder as stone, like many within her clan.

Juushu had always had an effect on Hinata, be it positive, negative, or neutral, but there was always an effect. This was not an exception to that. Juushu noticed the change in her being, long before her facial expression started to harden. He knew something was up, just as he knew that she was his childhood stalker.

Upon reaching the Hyuuga compound he tried to politely decline Hinata's invitation to enter the compound and have a spot of tea. He tried and failed, since Hyuuga Hiashi had unluckily appeared and also invited him into his home, he wanted to know why his daughter had not returned home last night. It was not polite or proper to talk about such things in public. That and an inviatation by one of Konoha's clan heads was something that even he could not decline, the inviatation of a clan heir was declineable, but one from the head itself was not, unless he wanted to fast forward his plans by a lot.

Once inside the main house in the compound, specifically the head's office, Hiashi had a servant get Hinabi and Neji, as they too wanted to know what had happened that their relative was not at home with them last night.

Once all that the clan head wanted to be present were present he allowed his daughter to explain her actions. What left her mouth was quite shocking that it left the clan head in a state of shock for a whole minute, Neji didn't fair any better, and Hinabi had actually fainted. Juushu did not react.

Once Hiashi returned to the land of the living, he immediately bolted up and tried to slam Juushu against the wall in anger and rage. He tried several times, Neji aiding him, but all their attempts failed. Whenever they tried to just touch the blonde, their hands would just pass through him as if he were a simple bushin, except he did not fade or disappear.

Once the two men realized that nothing affected the blonde before them, both men called out for other Hyuuga to help in the endeavor. Even with the superior numbers Juushu remained in place with a calm expression on his face, as if he was not just accused of forcefully planting his seed in the Hyuuga heiress, and coming to the compound to demand that she be added to his harem, non-existent harem, he had a wife but that didn't make a harem.

Once the Hyuuga had run out of steam, Juushu told them the true events that had occurred the other day, as well as some suggestions on what to do to the liar of an heiress that they had in their clan. He knew that Hinata was more or less a good person, it was just that she seemed to be in desperate need of mental or psychological help. The strain of being obssessed with one person for most of one's life had finally been too much for her to take.

The Hyuuga with their supposedly almighty doujutsu activated had seen nothing that would indicate that Juushu was lying, when they had Hinata repeat her earlier statement, they noticed that she was actually lying, it was convincing to the untrained eyes, but to the Hyuuga, it was as plain as day. They were her family, they knew her personality, her mannerism, they knew her, not as much as they should, but enough to be able to tell that she was lying. That and that she had gone over the deep end, with a posssibility of getting back to reality if she was given help asap.

Hiashi had to apologize to Juushu about the clan's earlier actions, while Neji and the rest of the Hyuuga had the job of subduing Hinata, tying her up, gagging her, and bringing her to the hospiral. It took the rest of the people present, all of the rest of the people present to subdue Hinata, this was due to the fact that her newly snapped mental state had made her quite the ruthless fighter. Most of the branch house members were felled with her first attack, that was until Neji managed to block the pain and tackle her to the ground, forcing her to stop her activation of the caged bird seal. He had also forced her to go on the defensive, and the girl knew the Kaiten, as well as her own original technique. During the fight to stay free Hinata had shown, for more than an hour, that she had the power to become the next clan head, it was her mental state that needed a bit of tweaking.

Hiashi did not enter the fray due to the fact that there was a guest present as well as the fact that there were already more than enough people engaging his daughter. Juushu had stayed just to make sure that the girl was subdued.

"I think that you should arrange for her to be married to one of her teamates or something like that," Juushu told Hiashi, all the while not taking his eyes away from the ensuing brawl, "I also would suggest that you name either your youngest or your nephew as the heir. Your eldest does not appear to be fit to lead your beloved clan."

"I think after this display you may be right," Hiashi somewhat agreed, "By the way, you have yet to introduce yourself."

"I apologize for that, I am Rosuto Juushu."

"I think I've heard that name somewhere."

"I am the leader of Rosuto no Kuni, the recently revealed Land of the Lost."

"Ah yes, I think I received the memo on the meeting about you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Juushu asked.

"It would be better that you be made aware about something like that, than upset you by having to find out that the leaders of Konoha were talking about you behind your back."

"I see. But don't worry, I already knew," Juushu said.

Once Hinata was successfully bound and gagged, Juushu bid the Hyuuga head good day and left the Hyuuga home in search of others that he had known. He couldn't speak to Neji due to him making sure that Hinata got the help that she needed.

His next stop for the morning, as it was still morning, was the Yamanaka flower shop. Once inside he found himself face to face with the Yamanaka clan head, Ino having left for some training with Chouji and Shikamaru, as the three sometimes went on missions together.

"Good morning, welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, how might I help you?" the clan head said.

"The name's Juushu, I'm looking for Yamanaka Ino, would you know where I might find her?" he asked.

"Juushu?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with my name?"

"No, not at all, its just that that's the same name as.." Inoichi was interrupted.

"Rosuto Juushu, leader, daimyou, and founder of Rosuto no Kuni."

"Yes, I was going to say that. How did you.." Inoichi's eyes widened as he realized just who was standing in his family's shop.

"Yes, that's me. I'm looking for you daughter since I just wanted to catch up with her."

"C-catch up? What do you mean?"

"My former name is Uzumaki Naruto," Juushu stated.

"NARUTO?!" Inoichi exclaimed, "H-how can you be Naruto?"

"I'm sure Baa-chan will tell you, the short version, or something like that. If she doesn't, then feel free to find me the day after tomorrow, since your meeting with her is tomorrow," Juushu said, "So..about your daughter?"

"Training ground sixteen," the clan head answered.

After getting what he wanted out of the clan head, Juushu bought a single red rose, bid the Yamanaka clan head good day, and left the shop, heading for where he sensed his wife to be.

While walking to the place where he sensed his wife to be, Juushu gradually deaged his physical appearance, he made himself look the age that he was expected by the rest of his friends to expect him to look. He wanted to catch up with his friends, instead of have to tell them his history as a whole or something like that.

He knew that not everyone was aware that he had returned, people knew that Jiraiya was back, but not everyone knew that Juushu was aswell.

Most everyoene would know a bit more about him and his country after Tsunade made her announcement to the rest of the village about him and his country. He wanted to know how his friends were all these years, how they had fared while he went off on his adventures, as well as gone off to war. He didn't want to have to explain over and over again how he had become Rosuto Juushu. So he'd let the rest of the friends that had not seen him yet call him by his old name, he'd tell his tale at some later date when they were all gathered together or something.

It was not just his body that he changed the appearance of, he also changed the appearance of his clothes, he had originally left the apartment wearing a blue shirt, black pants, and red shoes. As he walked he created an orange jacket and black jacket which was zipped up, he changed his pants into a darker shade of orange as compared to the orange of his old suit, and he morphed his shoes into black shinobi sandals. The only thing that would stand out was that he didn't have a hitai-ate on.

Before he could successfully reach his target, being his wife, he was intercepted by Haruno Sakura. More like he had bumped into her. It appeared that the cosmic forces did not want him to have it easy this day.

The girl noticed that it was Juushu that bumped into her, she noticed the rose in his hand, and immediately grabbed it thinking that it was for her, and that he had been rushing to give it to her as a hello present or something or other, and due to his haste had accidentally bumped into her.

"Hey Sakura-chan," Juushu said as he got back onto his feet, "Could you give me back that rose, its not for you."

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, and I apologize for bumping into you," he said as he plucked the rose from her grasp while she was still in her shocked state.

Juushu then created a single Kage Bushin, and handed the rose to it, and had it be the one to give it to his wife in his stead, seeing as he had stumbled on a problem. The clone took to the rooftops to avoid any further misunderstandings with any other kunoichi.

When Sakura regained her compsure after getting out of her shocked state, she punched Juushu with as much strength and power she could muster at the moment, which considering who her teacher was was a lot.

Juushu was sent flying into the concrete wall of a building owned by his own company, so he didn't have to worry about any financial reprecussions of the actions of his pink haired friend. He wouldn't have to pay for the repairs and such, but he'd make sure that his friend and her family did, slight revenge for some events that occurred when he was younger.

"What was that for Sakura-chan?" he asked when he got back onto his feet.

"You baka! I thought that flower was for me!"

"Sheesh, then how is it my fault?"

"You bumped into me," she answered. For someone of her intelligence she sure wasn't showing any in this situation.

"I apologized, and how does that have anything to do with your jumping to conclusions. Add that to the fact that since I haven't seen you in such a long time, there is the possibility, or rather the fact that my feelings for you have changed."

"Huh?" Sakura said, being caught of guard by Juushu's statement.

"There is another girl in my life, sheesh, go ask your master about it, geez, and I really wanted to talk to you civilly too. Guess I'll just have to get back to looking for Ino," Juushu said.

"After hearing Ino's name, Sakura's mind jumped to conclusions once again, and sent Juushu flying once again. The blonde once again destroyed another wall of another building which he luckily owned.

"Hey baka! Where's your Hitai-ate?" Sakura asked as Juushu got back to his feet.

"I'm no longer a shinobi of Konoha," he answered as he dusted himself off.

Once again jumping to conclusions, the thought that he had gone rogue had entered her mind, so she rushed him and attempted to punch him again. This time she missed by a lot, since at the last second he dodged her attack.

'_Geez, if fighting is the only way to get out of this mess, then fighting is what I'll do.._' he thought to himself, before unleashing an attack of his own.

In the middle of one of the streets of Konoha, a fierce battle broke out, good thing that it wasn't anywhere near the residential district, or any busy streets.

Sakura used chakra powered punches and kicks, which destroyed the pavement, and the buildings and other structures of the immediate area.

Juushu, dodged all the attacks, and created several dozen clones to run interference, while he made his escape. As quickly as he could he entered the shadow realm and went about searching for Ino's shadow. Since he knew that she was training, most likely with Shikamaru, he would get to play a prank on the unsuspecting Nara.

The Kage Bushin that had the honor of delivering the single rose to his creator's wife, had found himself some trouble of his own. He had changed his appearance into that of someone resembling one of the Uchiha. Most of those guys were pretty boys, which caused a considerable number of kunoichi into thinking that the single rose was for one of them.

'_What's with today,_' the clone thought, '_Is it dumb kunoichi day?_'

What the clone, and Juushu, were unaware of was that there hadn't been that many romantic acts done by the male populace lately, and the females were experiencing a bout of romance deprivation, which was causing a majority of them to act in the irrational way in which they were acting.

The clone had to deplete his considerable chakra reserves in order to create several other clones, five of which were assigned the mission of getting that one rose safely to Tsukiko.

Once the girls realized that the rose wasn't for any of them, the battle royale began. Rather once all of them collectively thought that the clone had led them on, or were stringing them along for some sick reason, they decided to pound him into mush.

Juushu, and by extension his clones, wasn't someone who would willingly let himself be beaten up, plus there was still a mission that had yet to be completed, this made the clones prioritize survival first.

It was a good thing that the clones and the girls were fighting on the roofs of the village, as well as the fact that none of them were students of the Slug sannin.

Off in the distance, the lead clone could see that where the original was, was being decimated by a battle of clones versus Sakura, the pink haired kunoichi was demolishing a Rosuto Younen district all on her own, with clones trying their best to contain her. The bad thing about the clones was that the ones that Juushu had created and left behind were all normal regular Kage Bushins. The only advanced Kage Bushin was the one who was given the task of delivering the rose, which was why it had a considerable amount of chakra at its disposal, as well as why it could, as well as its clones, survive after being pummelled by a relentless barage of things from the kunoichi that were attacking them.

The five man Advanced Kage Bushin cell, wasn't faring much better as compared to the other clones. They had it harder. Every once in a while a clone separated from the group in order to prevent a number of shinobi from getting the rose, after all sealing the rose in a storage scroll, and running in the direction which is away from the Hokage Tower, as well as those carrying and protecting the scroll not having Hitai-ates, more or less signified that these people were not exactly friendly towards the village, most likely they were an amatuer squad of enemy shinobi that had managed to steal something from the Hokage Tower and were making their escape. Most of their pursuers were Chuunin and some low level Jounin.

Being Advanced Kage Bushin, these bushins had a lot of chakra to spare, therefore each one that opted to stall created a couple clones itself. It was like the Uchiha Sasuke Retrieval Mission all over again, except this time the enemy were Konoha-nin and the team was made up of clones of one man. The objective itself was also different.

Among the pursuers were Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino.

The presence of these two Chuunin proved to be problematic to the delivery clone. Since once it was the only one of the group left, it was confronted by the two Chunin, that did not want to budge. The clone then had no other choice but to create some clones of its own, all the try and get to its target as quickly as possible.

Kiba knowing that the nin infront of him were clones, he and Akamaru quckly attacked with teeth and claws by using that technique of theirs that makes them drill into the enemy. Thinking that the clones would easily be defeated, they were surprised to find the clones relatively unharmed from the attack. Only one of their number had been killed.

Shino had the honor of facing off against the delivery clone. He sent chakra draining bugs the clone's way, which the clone managed to avoid for the most part. It created a few more clones to give it more time to escape. All through the encounter it kept running in the direction of its target.

Shino pursued the delivery clone, leaving Kikai Bushins to deal with the clones that the clone created, all the while following the delivery clone.

Suddenly the clones changed directions, the target had teleported to another part of the city. For what reason, the clone didn't care, the only thing in its mind was the completion of its mission. This action surprised the normally unsurpriseable Aburame.

'_If he is not escaping to the wall, then what is his true objective,_' thought the Aburame.

"The target has moved, need to lose this bug user, must get to target," were the mumbled things that left the clone's mouth, which were also the things that Shino was able to hear.

'_Target? An assassination attempt? a kidnapping?_' Shino thought. Those were the logical possibilities, the direction that the two were moving would lead them to the Ninja Academy, where many of the village's future were at the moment. It was nearing lunch time, the student's would be out in the open, not nescessarily vulnerable, but they would still be out in the open. Seeing as the clone, not that Shino could tell that it was a clone, was alone, the logical conclusion was that it was either an assassination attempt or a sabotage mission.

The Academy was in sight.

The clone leaped onto the roof.

Shino quickly threw some kunai in an attempt to stop the clone from doing whatever he thought the clones was planning on doing.

The clone spun in place and dove for the ground below, which enabled him to narrowly avoid the projectiles.

Shino sped closer.

As the clone hit the dirt, it rolled, all the while unfurling the scroll and unsealing the rose. It ended up in a kneeling position infront of Tsukiko who was sitting on a bench and was watching the children that were leaving the building to have their break.

"Juushu-sama ordered us to bring you this single rose. He intended to give it to you himself, but some complications arose which forced him to have us bring it to you. He also wanted us to tell you, 'soon'."

Once the rose was safely in Tsukiko's hands, Shino dropped down with a kunai in hand and stabbed the clone through its neck, effectively killing it. But unlike most clones, this one turned itself into a blood clone in order to give the illusion that it was an actual person rather than just a mere clone.

Tsukiko screamed. The clone had acted perfectly, the act was enough to fool Tsukiko into thinking that the clone was not a clone, and was actually one of the Rosuto shinobi. One of her own. Her scream attracted the attention of Yahiko who was in the vicinity. He quickly rushed to her aid, even though she was a seasoned war veteran, she had not seen battle in quite a while. Whatever had made her scream didn't help her either, and Yahiko, in the absence of his daimyou would make sure that nothing happened to his friend, who just happened to be the second most powerful person in all of Rosuto no Kuni.

Shino felt someone moving towards him, just in time he jumped back avoiding a deadly slash. In the spot which he had previously been standing on was a man completely clothed in black, like one of the shinobi of old. Yahiko had, while moving, unsealed his spymaster uniform and draped it over his form. After the failed attack, he took a defensive stance infront of Tsukiko, his ninjato in a reverse grip in one hand, and three kunai in the other.

Before anything else could happen eight ANBU arrived on the scene, but before they could act or even utter a word, the dead clone burst into flames. Much like how the clones of the war burst into flames.

When Tsukiko and Yahiko saw that happen, they both visibly relaxed, but Yahiko still had his wits about him, and was ready to spring into action at a moments notice. Luckily Juushu had briefed his whole contingent about a situation such as this one occurring, if they were to see one of theirs dead and burst into flames, it wasn't anything to worry about, and the man or woman wasn't really dead.

The ANBU were given the descriptions of the members of the Rosuto contingent, and therefore realized that two of the people involved in the incident were infact members of the Rosuto contingent.

Tsukiko and Yahiko both agreed to go with the ANBU to speak with the Hokage and resolve the issue or event that had occurred.

On the way to the tower, Juushu joined the group, he had abandoned his quests of finding his friends once he felt that his wife was in danger, a feeling which passed a few minutes afterwards. But he went to her none the less, just to be on the safe side.

* * *

Once they got to the tower Tsunade was waiting for them outside of the tower, with all the other Konoha-nin involved in the chase.

Before Tsunade could say anything, Juushu beat her to it.

"I know for a fact that Konoha has not yet fully recovered from the Sound and Sand Invasion three years ago. I also know that this village was one of the most peaceful of all Shinobi villages, what I want to know is what happened?" Juushu said, "First that student of yours, Haruno Sakura, attacks me for insane reasons, then your Kunoichi attack my delivery teams, then they are assulted by your Chunin and Jounin, and last but not least," he faced Shino, "Shino, you're a friend and all," he faced Tsunade once more, "Shino 'kills' one of my men, its a good thing that that particular one was not human to begin with but an automatic puppet."

He paused briefly to gauge the reactions of those present.

"I, being a daimyou, as well as being a guest and not a shinobi of the village, the paperwork was filed three years ago, I'm sure that you just approved it without reading it since you don't know how to properly deal with paperwork, am appalled at the treatment I and my family have received today. I am very close to declaring war on the entirety of Hi no Kuni."

"Naruto..err Juushu," Tsunade said which earned her a collective gasp from the Konoha-nin present, "Konoha doesn't want a war, I apologize on behalf of Konoha for the actions of the few, no one was seriously injured, can we just forget about this incident?"

"Juushu-sama," Tsukiko addressed her husband, "It was just a misunderstanding. Lets just put this behind us and forget it ever happened, you still have some other things to do, that are more important than this, right? So please just forgive Konoha, they're not like the nine."

"Fine.." Juushu agreed to forget about the incident, since it was all a big misunderstanding, but of course he wouldn't just leave it at that, he dumped an entire report about the whole affair, in complete detail, on Tsunade's desk, that she might know of all the things that had transpired.

Once Juushu left, with Tsukiko following him, Yahiko had a few words that were needed to be said.

"Know this, anymore future acts of violence t'ward my lord, and there will be war, and Hi no Kuni will feel the wrath of Rosuto no Kuni, Kyuubi no Yoko will seem like a child's temper tantrum compared to the hell that Rosuto will unleash," Yahiko warned, then left, he just vanished into the wind. He was not Juushu, which means that he just ran faster than even Maito Gai was used to tracking.

* * *

Later that day, Tsunade decided to have her meeting with the village council as well as with the clan heads during the afternoon of that same day. Due to the events of the morning, she felt that it would be better to tell them about Juushu and his country sooner rather than later. She also had Shizune, Mikio also known as Dan, and Jiraiya look for the alleged file that she had signed regarding Juushu's resignation as a shinobi of Konoha. She needed that piece of paper as proof for some of the members of the councils in order to make sure that they did not try and do something stupid.

Before the meeting commenced, Shizune handed Tsunade the piece of paper which showed that indeed Juushu was no longer a shinobi of Konoha. She told Shizune, Mikio, and Jiraiya to wait for her in her office. They were not members of either council, even though one of the three of them was the Gama Sennin.

She started the meeting by telling the council members and clan heads the abridged version of the history of Rosuto no Kuni, she also had to explain to them that time travel was possible. They were forced to believe her, when they all heard a triple layered voice say that if they did not believe the possibility of time travel and that it was part of the way Rosuto no Kuni worked then they'd all be sealed by the Shinigami into teapots, the Shinigami then appeared before their very eyes ready to do just as the voice stated, they all knew that it was the real thing since the feeling that it gave off was unmistakably that of the death god, that and the god spat out the Sandaime and Yondaime who further threatened them into believing Tsunade. When they all agreed to the truth of the Godaime's words the Shinigami's presence vanished from the room, taking the souls of the departed kages with him.

Tsunade ended her little speech by confirming that Uzumaki Naruto and Rosuto Juushu were indeed one and the same. This little revelation and confirmation made some members of both council, as well as a few clan heads to call for the deaths of the members of the Rosuto contingent, stating that they were demons or monsters and were planning something devious as the reason beind their pleas and accusations.

These cries and arguments were swiftly met with a blast of killing intent from their Hokage as well as some of the other councilmen and woman and clan heads.

Before the meeting was over, Tsunade had all the people at the meeting agree not to provoke the Rosuto contingent into declaring war, especially since they were still in the dark about the true military capabilities of Rosuto.

* * *

It was nighttime, the streets of Konoha were painted black due to the darkness of the night, for some reason the street lights were not lit, and all was quiet, as if the whole village was in preparation for something sinister to transpire.

For the first time during his visit to Konoha, Juushu had shut off all his senses in order for him to actually sleep, which was probably a bad thing, he knew what his very village was capable of, but he never suspected that what was to occur that night would be worse than he had ever imagined.

Silently, in the way their legend was told, the a number of konoha shinobi snuck into the apartment complex, their target was any member of the Rosuto contingent that they came across. There were ten of them, ANBU, the best of the best, while at the same time the worst of the worst, these were not the regular ANBU who followed the orders of the Hokage and the Hokage alone, these were members of the illegal Ne division, run by the old warhawk Danzo.

The first person that the Ne team came across was Yoshiko. One of the group placed her in a deeper sleep, using a genjutsu that was similar to the forced sleep technique. She was then carried out of the complex, the other members of the team made sure that no one witnessed what they were doing. Getting caught would be a very bad thing for Konoha.

Once they had finally reached their base of operations, they presented her to Danzo, who smiled.

"Now that demon wont be able to do anything that might endanger Konoha, with her as a hostage, we can control whatever army he has and crush our foes."

* * *

The next day, the Rosuto party did not find anything amiss. Not finding Yoshiko in their midst, they chalked it up to her having gone out to explore the rest of the village or something like that.

When they left the complex to spend the rest of the day doing who knows what, Tsukiko couldn't shake the feeling that some was very wrong with Yoshiko's disappearance, or leaving early. She asked Juushu to find out where the girl was or at the very least what she was doing.

Juushu opened up his senses, activated and accessed his powers and abilities, and checked up on the girl, she was the youngest of the lot. Not a second later, Konoha felt the one thing that they never thought that they would ever feel again. The forgotten memories of Juushu's entrance into Konoha resurfaced, as well new ones were added to those ones.

It may have been morning, but to the entire Hi no Kuni, it was twilight. Juushu in a fit of anger had made the moon block the sun. He had overridden the control and commands of Tsukiyomi himself, and the god did not mind at all. In the next moment, the whole of Konoha, including the rest of the Rosuto contingent feared for their lives, as a chakra contruct resembling the Kyuubi towered over the village, and a wave of pure killing intent washed over the village, this one stronger than anything that Touken could muster.

On top of the head of the chakra golem stood Juushu, in full battle gear, in one hand was his katana. He leapt off of the head of the Kyuubi golem, landed infront of the Hokage Tower, turned around and sheathed his katana. What followed would have amazed the people present, if it weren't for the fact that they were all scared shitless.

Each of the heads on the Hokage Mountain dropped to the groud, as if they were decapitated from the mountain. Behind Juushu, the Hokage Tower exploded after a visible vertical slice through its middle could be seen by people nearby. Juushu made sure that no one died that day.

Holding out his arms as if carrying someone, he willed Yoshiko to appear in his arms. Before he could leap back onto the head of the golem, Tsunade along with the Konoha-nin that had come to their senses arrived attempting to block his path.

"Naruto! What do you think you are doing? Why did you suddenly attack?" Tsunade demanded.

"Ask Oji-san's third greatest mistake," was the only reply that Juushu gave before leaping into the air, becoming the wind and taking all that was his with him.

"I shall snuff out the flames of the Land of Fire, any and all that oppose me shall suffer," Juushu announced for all of Hi no Kuni to hear, "Blame your protectors for this tradgedy."

With those parting words the sun shone once again above Hi no Kuni, but a feeling of dread and foreboding settled on the populace of one of the five great nations of the elemental continent.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Reminder: Rosuto Juushu = Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto

Note #1: Rosuto is the family/clan name of Juushu, but when referring to the clan itself (the ruling clan of Rosuto) it is refered to as Juushu.

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**Lost**

**Chapter 22**

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Plans were being formulated even as Juushu and company were making their way back to the capital of Rosuto no Kuni. All the members of the Rosuto contingent found themselves sitting on some part of the nine-tailed kitsune golem which their leader had created when his rage exploded out of him. He had used the greatest fear of the land to ensure that the extraction and escape of himself and his loved ones was as quick and hassle free as possible.

Most people have a tendency to fear, and eventually hate, those that they do not understand. People are stupid that way. But some people are smart, these are the ones to look out for, either they will help in making a better and brighter tomorrow or they will seriously force the world into becoming a drearier and darker place.

One of these people to look out for was Danzo, him and his Ne ANBU corps. This guy had a misguided concept of how to best protect Konohagakure no Sato, along with the rest of Hi no Kuni. But just like a number of other decisions in his past, his choice of trying to blackmail or threaten Rosuto Juushu was one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Blackmailing or threatening someone into doing one's own bidding when the world was aware of the individual's capabilities was one thing, but threatening or blackmailing someone whose country's statistics was a big question mark was on a whole other level of stupid.

When Tsunade found out who specifically it was that had ordered the kidnapping, which wasn't all that hard, she almost killed the one armed and one eyed war veteran, but due having war on the horizon, she had no choice but to enlist the veteran's help in making sure that the country did not suffer too much. As much as the village, excluding a select few, deserved to burn in the depths of hell, the rest of the country did not.

Due to the widespread display that the whole of Fire Country bore witness to, the Fire Daimyou immediately had his representative in Konoha speak with Tsunade to get all the details of the situation that the country was facing.

Details were sketchy at best, even with the history of Rosuto no Kuni being known to the blonde Hokage, estimating the size of the invading army was nigh impossible.

With the scant few information that Tsunade could provide the Daimyou with, the country's armies were immediately put on alert, all reserves were called to active duty, there wasn't an able civilian that would not be fighting to protect his or her homeland.

Even though Konoha had yet to fully recuperate from the Kyuubi attack, the Uchiha Massacre, and the Sound and Sand invasion, they would be doing an Iwa and be popping out genin from the ninja academies like mad, it was a race against time, and Konoha would be relying on quantity over quality. The quality of the warriors that the village would be pumping out could be refined further on the battlefield. It was world war time, not just a great shinobi war, but an actual world war.

Jiraiya was forced into making his spy network work overtime in their information gathering, every little bit of information could help in making sure that Hi no Kuni survived to see the next day. Every missed piece of information could lead to the total annihilation of the most powerful country in all of elemental, or what was once the most powerful of the known lands.

Once Juushu and company were all finally back in their capital, Juushu made haste to his war room, with the rest of his party tagging along, since they were all not only family and friends but also his highest officials. All the military officers were also called to the meeting that was being held in that specific room.

In order to avoid attacking the other nations, since it was not yet time for that, the Rosuto armies would be moving peacefully through the lands west of Tsuchi no Kuni and eventually through Tsuchi no Kuni. Those that would be taking this particular route would be the Dragon Flights lead by the Kuraku clan in the air, along with the armies of the Three Sakana Generals, Naruto, Emiko, and Toru. Instead of attacking Kusa which was an ally of Hi no Kuni, Rosuto would breaking through Ame no Kuni and make their way to the border of Ame and Hi.

Juushu was aware that one of the leaders of Akatsuki resided in Ame, and therefore would also send a secondary force to take care of the Akatsuki in that minor country. The secondary army that would be taking good care of the Ame and Akatsuki forces would be lead by the Genri and Tabou Elders, Tamotsu and Tama. Tamotsu would be leading the samurai and regular soldiers, while Tama would be leading the monks and the Shinobi forces. Ame did not have much of anything other than shinobi, therefore Juushu was sure that the country would be unprepared for an attack of such magnitude. Juushu had nothing against Ame itself, just the leaders and the idiots that followed said self proclaimed god. Genocide was not the goal.

A third army would be sent through Tsuchi, but instead of heading for the border of Hi no Kuni, the army would be making its way via the waters to the north of the Land of Rice Fields. Orochimaru was going to have his hands full with the Rosuto Navy, consisting of ships as well as super crocs. The generals that would be leading the attack on the country that hosted Orochimaru would be the Tokage clan Elder and Head, Tsukiko and Yoshiko, freaks like Orochimaru were a no-no in their book. Their time in Tetsu would serve them well. The wolves would be their allies, along with the rocs. This army would force Rice Field to engage Fire, it would be a battle on two fronts.

The bulk of the Rosuto armies would be passing through Kaze no Kuni, and would attack Hi no Kuni from the southern end of Fire. The Rosuto forces would avoid passing through the Land of Rivers, and would commence attack from the waters to the south of Hi no Kuni and east of River. This force would be lead by Juushu himself.

If the Kaze forces attacked the Rosuto forces, then Rosuto would retaliate, but if not then Rosuto would not pay them any mind. Suna was a no go zone, due to the friendship between Juushu and the Kazekage. The Suna forces could aid their ally, but their home would not be attacked. Any refugees from Fire were free game, the onigumo and the scorpions would see to their deaths, of course they would also make sure that there would be survivors, after all genocide was not the goal of the military exercise, just retribution and a dash of revenge.

The Hyakume clan and Chikamatsu Monzaemon would be travelling through Kaze with Juushu, and would split their forces between the south and Ame. Monzaemon being the one who would deal with Akasuna no Sasori.

Even though the armies would be travelling with the aid of Time warping and time bending, they would not arrive at their destinations right away, it wouldn't do to reveal all the capabilities of Rosuto from the get go, they would allow the Hi no Kuni forces to mount a defense, a visible one that would gain the attention of the other nations, but not before the Rosuto forces would enter Tsuchi and Kaze.

Hi no Kuni was a proud nation, one which didn't believe that it would ever need any walls to protect itself, well it was wrong on that account. As soon as the order to prepare for war was given engineers and construction crews swiftly carries out that task that was to build a formidable two layered wall around the country, they enlisted the help of many Konoha-nin. Especially those with the ability to use Mokuton.

Mikio opted to help in the fighting, not that he believed wholeheartedly in the cause, but his fiance was part of it, so he might as well do his part. Haru, Ikkaku, and Chang'e left with the Rosuto group, since Haru was a member of the Shokon clan, and Ikkaku and his wife really did not have anything to do with the war so they would travel to Kyonshi's fortress from Rosuto.

During the defense planning and contruction and preparation for war, Mikio had been contacted by Karasu, who had offered to host any and all refugees that Hi no Kuni would send their way. Yami no Kuni dared not side with Hi no Kuni since they were aware of just how powerful Rosuto no Kuni was.

The armies left the Land of the Lost one by one. One by one each army made its way out, beyond the borders of their homeland. The first three armies swiftly made their way through the lands to the west of Tsuchi no Kuni. Once they entered the Land of Earth their movement slowed down slightly. It was an intimidation tactic, that would make sure that the forces of Earth Country would know not to attack the passing army, lest they be flattened, crushed beneath the boots of the Rosuto forces.

Even the Tsuchikage was intimidated by the sheer number of soldiers that were marching on the soil of Earth. Even with the numbers that Earth country had, it would not be enough to repell such a large force. The ground literally trembled as the beheamoth of a war machine trudged through the Land of Earth. But what frightened the forces of Earth were the dragons that flew overhead, at first it was the fact that the army had control over such beasts, then when they realized the sheer number of the beasts, that was when they realized that should Rosuto turn their ire and army on Earth, all would be lost and the kami that fought the Kaibyaku no Sankami would have won, since then Tsuchi no Kuni would have crumbled to dust.

The forces of Earth were only able to see the visible soldiers of Rosuto, none, not even the shinobi could see anyone that reseblem them, they were unable to see or even sense any of those that move in the shadows. For that was precisely what the Shokon lead shinobi forces of Rosuto were doing, they were walking through the shadow realm towards their target, the forests around Konohagakure no Sato, where a small dragon flight lay in wait.

The armies that were sailing on the sea of sands known as Kaze no Kuni were travelling at the fastest pace, the entire attack plan depended on Juushu's main force to commence the attack. Once their leader started the attack all the other armies would already be in place and ready to begin their assult at a moments notice. The Naval force of Rosuto no Kuni heavily relied on ship that were mass produced in Juushu's private dimension, when any of the forces hit water, sea water that is, the ship would make their way out of the depths of the sea that were connected to the waters in the lakes in Juushu's private dimension. The ships ranged from small tug boats to large airship like ships, each of the small boats being able to carry up to ten people at once including crew, while the airship or aquatic dragon's nests or ADNs would be able to handle up to five hundred fully grown dragons, everything bigger than a tug boat to the ADNs were fully equipped with space expansion seals, which in turn allowed each of them to hold more people that they should, which was in he thousands.

The main army made it through Kaze no Kuni without delay, but Juushu did make a pitstop in Sunagakure no Sato to share a quick drink with his friend, Suna would not actively be joining the war, but they would be accepting refugees, there was a mile wide perimeter around Suna which would be a kill free zone, meaning the onigumo and scorpions would not be permitted to kill any refugees that made it into the zone. Suna was more or less declared as the safest place in the known lands of elemental, the rest of the cities and villages in Kaze no Kuni could not boast such a thing.

The puppet army of Tsuneo and Monzaemon swiftly flew over the sea of sands, in a manner similar to the puppets that they both enjoyed to control, the army at their back made up of puppeteers and puppets doing the same. The puppeteer corps passed by Suna, Monzaemon bringing to life the puppets that he had gifted to one of his students in the past. He brought them to life and had them walk out of the village to pay him their respect, all of them gave him a deep bow before returning to their current master, the Suna elder Chiyo. One of the puppets before slumping to the ground handed the old woman a note stating: Akasuna no Sasori will cease to exist, I Chikamatsu Monzaemon will see to it.

All armies arrived at the designated places from which they would all commence their attack roughly six months after the declaration of war. But Juushu would not commence the operation for another six months, he would give Hi no Kuni time to prepare themselves for the onslaught. Juushu would be using those six months to create bases of operations for his little war. His forces would be constructing outposts which they would use as the bases of operations for their attacks. All the armies would have a place to call HQ, except for the Rosuto-nins, since they would be relying heavily on the shadow realm to be their base of operations.

A number of ANBU teams had been deployed to patrol the borders of Hi no Kuni, these teams were to look out for any sign of the Rosuto forces beginning the attack. These nin were also given the job of capturing or kidnapping anyone from the Rosuto camp that may possibly shed some light on the plans of the attackers. This task was assigned to them due to the fact that it was appaerent that the Rosuto forces were waiting for something, some kind of signal to attack. Tsunade and the Daimyou knew that the reason that the Rosuto forces had not commenced their attack was because they really were waiting for something to happen, if the Fire forces could capture and interrogate someone from the enemy camp, they may get an insight on the strategies of their enemy, as well as find out what to look out for as the signal for the attack. That way they could prepare for it, and possibly stall it, or even make sure it never happens.

The jounin and chunin spent their days busily training the genin, who were fresh out of the academy, as well as the militia on how to fight, chakra use and control, jutsu, you name it, they were training in it, anything related to fighting that is. Even the medic-nins were working over time, in war one of the things that could ensure survival was is there were enough medics available to treat all the wounded that the leaders of the country were sure there would be.

One of the things that Konoha was busily working on was gathering information about the numbers and capabilities of the enemy. Especially on the enemy's leader. If they were to succeed in defending their country they would need to make sure that they were prepared for everything that their enemy could dish out.

One little piece of information that was helpful to Fire country was that the enemy was stationed in only two points, the south and the west, the sea to the south and the borders of Ame. This left Fire country free to attack from other sides, they were not boxed in. But due to not knowning that exact numbers of the enemy they could not act on the advantage that they saw they had. Another problem was that if they were to try and attack the enemy from behind, they would have to move through some countries that they did not really have a friendly relationship with.

With three months remaining before the attacks were to begin, Jiraiya's spies were able to forward information to the Gama Sennin that was a separate army stationed in Ame no Kuni that wasn't going to or planning to attack Hi no Kuni, their target was Ame no Kuni herself. This was good news for Jiraiya since it appeared that Akatsuki's plans were going to be muddled a bit. He would also later learn that the members of Akatsuki were called back to Ame by whomever their leader was, due to the fact that the country or base of Akatsuki operations was being threatened by an increase in the number of hostiles.

Information had been leaked to Akatsuki, that the other army in their domain was planning on attacking the country itself, and that the forces were also targetting the Akatsuki members themselves. Who exactly leaked the information was unknown, but by just knowing that Amegakure no Sato, along the rest of Ame no Kuni prepared themselves for another war. One which was with a foreign power.

At the exact moment that the sixth month was over, Juushu struck the first of many blows.

He ordered his ships to form a line, stretching from the border of River country to the border of tea, all ships were facing the coast of Fire country. These ships held on their decks massive cannon, he planned on showering the Fire coastline with elemental chakra charged canonballs. As well as let loose a volley of other elemental attacks on the coastline, ranging from fireballs the size of a Gokakyu no Jutsu to ones the size of a roc, as well as a number of other atttacks. The canons were aimed at nothing specific, as long as they hit land it was fine.

Closer to the shore were three rows worth of people on the surface of the water. These people were archers, all their arrows were ready to be ignited, they would release enough arrows to once again blot out the sun.

From his flagship he could see the meager defenses that the Land of Fire had prepared. Meager in the sense that they were not yet prepared for naval battle. The defenders that were there were made up solely of Konoha-nin. Ranging from genin to ANBU. They were all prepared to defend their home. They hid amongst the rocks, in the trees, and a few of them were hidden in the water. None of them suspected that Juushu could see them all. His focus was on this battle alone, meaning that his other forces were more of less on their own, unless they specifically asked for his help.

In the skies were hundreds of dragons ready and waiting for the signal to begin their descent. Their job was to dive bomb the defenders, the archers and mages on their backs would be taking care of all the long range fighting.

Below the surface of the water the supercrocs waited for the signal, once it was given they would scramble for the shore and make their way inland as well as to the juices delights that were the defenders. Those shinobi in the water would stand no chance against the gaping maws of the supercrocs. They wouldn't dare attempt to fry the reptiles for fear of frying themselves in the process. Accompanying the crocs underwater were a multitude of snakes and serpents, as well as a number of basilisks, all of which were prepared to make it seem like Orochimaru was in on the attack, which would promt the Konoha forces, along with some of the rest of the Fire country forces, to attack Rice Field country with more force than they had originally planned on doing.

The rocs were also ready and waiting to attack, they would be incharge of retrieval, search and rescue, as well as medical aid. They were the pick up crew, all equipped with helmets and boy armor to prevent zero damage to be sustained.

Stepping onto the deck of his flagship, and after surveying his forces, Juushu gave the signal.

"FIRE!" Juushu shouted in a voice heard by all of his forces, but none of the defenders.

Simultaneously the canons roared with the release of their respective loads. The archers' arrows filled the sky in a fiery blaze, blotting out the sun, but at the same time providing a light source of their own. Fireballs, water dragons, fire dragons, earth dragons, wind dragons, lightning balls, and so on and so forth raced toward the shore and the cliffs of the coastline of fire country.

Once all the projectiles were let loose, the crocs, and snakes made their way to shore, biting off limbs of the underwater nin that were in the way. They weren't going to outright kill the opposition, but they were going to cripple them.

The flaming arrows had their work cut out for them, even though salvo after salvo or volley after volley was released into the air, the trees of the forest of fire was a formidable enemy, they were old, and not that easy to burn. So the archers resorted to the next best thing, they sniped the hidden defenders. They knew that the defenders would not come out of hiding, due to the fact tha if they came out of hiding they would be shot down, or worse killed. The defenders would wait for the attackers to come ashore and only then would they retaliate. But that didn't mean that they wouldn't let a few long range jutsu fly out of the safety of the forest.

The archers took pity on the genins and only targetted the chunins and the jounin, it was easy to tell which was which for some reason. But that didn't mean that they would not spook the genin, they fired at the genin as well, but it was obvious that the shots were not meant to seriously injure the greenhorns. They did this by not firing flaming arrows at the genin, while firing wave upon wave of flaming arrows at the higher ranked nins. The ANBU had it worst, since the archers and mages on the dragons' backs were targetting them with their arrows and spells, the arrows were coated in poison, some with a bunch of other chemicals.

The defenders stood no chance against the sheer number of things that were heading their way. Once the crocs and snakes finally made their way on land, they viciously attacked all the hidden nin that they could find, tearning limbs off, and still not outright killing them. Although if the nins did not manage to find medical help, they would surely die of bloodloss. Or at least that was what the crocs were doing, the snakes on the other hand decided to stop playing nice and just have a few snacks. Konoha-nin yum.

The cliffs were smashed to pieces and part of the upper lands came crashing down into the sea. The canonballs did the trick. They created more beach for the crocs and snakes to battle on. The next salvo after it was apparent that the beach was large enough for the crocs to comfortably bask in the sun, the canons aimed for the trees that the shinobi were still hiding in. They may have been a bit farther inland, but the canons were strong enough to reach even there. The shinobi chose not to reveal their locations since there were no actual people that were on land for them to interact violently with, and seeing how their comrades on the cliff, beach, hidden among the rocks, and underwater had fared against the beasts, they did not dare engage those specific units. As much as they wished to run out and aid their potentially dying comrades they could not. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

"Dragons! Secure the beach! The shore line is to be ours!" Juushu ordered his flight of dragons.

The dragons and their riders coplied with the orders. On some parts of the shore were a few port town and fishing villages, these were not spared from the onslaught that the attacks brought about. All structured were flattened, but not that many lives were lost, seeing as these places had already been evacuated prior to the attack. But the defenders that hid within were crushed when these places were leveled to the ground.

"Rocs! Once the dragons are done with securing the beach, drop our supplies and troops, as many at a time as you can carry!" Juushu addressed the rocs.

The rocs did as commanded and started their delivery job as soon as the first stretch of beach was secured. The soldiers that were dropped on land were too far for the shinobi to attack, there was also the fact that there now hundred of dragons that littered the beach, which were protecting the soldiers that were on dry land. These soldiers quickly set up camp in preparation for the days to come.

"Once half of the force has successfully landed, move the rest to the eastern coast and start over, that portion of the country will be the least protected. So make use of the advantage," Juushu instructed the captains of his ships. He heard the affirmatives from the captains, the only ship that was not to leave was the flagship, which would serve as the main supply ship for the army stationed in this part of the country, as well as the mobile base of operations.

"Kira, give the go signal to the other armies," Juushu instructed his Human Resource and Development Head, who was also serving as the communication head of the whole operation, he and his clan were in charge of keeping in contact with all the armies.

"Hai!" Kira answered.

Kira ran to the communications room and had his clansmen spread the word that the invasion could commence. At each desk there was a mirror, unlike a regular mirror these ones had key holes in the center of the reflective glass. Once the keys were inserted and twisted, the communication mirrors were activated, and the other Noufu clansmen who were with the other armies answered the call. The order to commence was then relayed to all the generals.

The Konoha-nins that were on the southern coast sent messengers back to Konoha, in order to inform the leaders of the country about the battle that had taken place, while not really a battle it was still something worth reporting. Along with the messengers that were sent, the injured were also sent back, at least those that were within reach of their allies. The ones in the water had little chance of surviving. But the Konoha-nins had to try and rescue them.

Mitarashi Anko was one of the tokubetsu jounin that were hidden in the trees. She really was of the impatient and bloodthirsty sort, and seeing all the snakes and serpents, she chose to attack. Retaliate, following her were a number of others, they decided that waiting was not going to do them any good. It did not appear that the enemy was going to move forwards for a while. Well if the enemy was not going to advance then the Konoha forces would try and get their comrades out, while at the same time deal some needed damage on the invaders.

Summoning a giant serpent of her own, Anko made her way down to the beach to engage the larger snakes that were slithering up and down the shore, and in and out of the water. Her allies, the ones that had decided to not follow orders dashed down into the water and onto the beach and everywhere else in search of their fallen friends and compatriots. They expected the soldiers that were on the beach to not be as fast as they were, but contrary to what they believed, the soldiers sprang into action.

While the basilisks were taking on the summoned serpent and Anko, the soldiers that had landed ran at the dashing Konoha-nin, they ran at the defenders swords drawn, spearmen and pikemen held their weapons and tried to skewer the Konoha-nin where they stood.

Seeing as the Konoha-nin had revealed their locations and were actively battling the Rosuto forcecs, the dragons in the air began their dive bomb tactics, while their riders shot out projectiles at the scurrying Konoha-nin. The rocs hastened their transportation duties, the more the merrier.

Some of the impatient samurai opted to jump into the water and run on the water's surface in order to do battle with the shinobi. Some of whom brought their horses with them as well, the samurai trained horses were somehow trained into being able to walk and run on water. This turn of events surprised the Konoha-nin, allowing some of them to be taken down.

Other jounin and some chunin remembered that they had summon contracts with other animals and decided that screw orders, they would engage the enemy with all the firepower that they could muster. Summoning bears, different types of cats, a few kinds of birds, the summoners directed half of their summons to attack the enemy, and the other half to take their injured allies back to Konoha.

The crocs saw the summons as things that they could swallow, so they focused their attacks on those. Some of the dragons opting to aid the crocs in that endeavor, by roasting some of them.

By this time jutsu from the shinobi were flying everywhere. Bushins of all kinds aided their creators left and right, while some nin opted to multiplying their weapons.

Leaving the rescuing of the injured to the summoned animals, the shinobi focused on attacking the invaders. They spewed out mudballs, water balls, fireballs, and other things directed at the enemy. But the enemy having trained extensively had some basic knowledge on those techniques and how to avoid them.

The soldiers did not rely heavily on their weapons of choice, they had other things included in their arsenals of attack. Some of the soldiers took it upon themselves to engage the konoha-nin in taijutsu while also using what ninjutus they knew how to use. Which was another thing that surprised the konoha-nin.

Maito Gai was one of the senior jounin that were present in the southern border, he used jutsu to complement his taijutsu and was busy being mobbed by samurai. Hand to hand combat was his forte, but against people that were able to seemingly stand toe to toe with him, he was nearing the level at which he would have to resort to using the gates. Before he could even access the first one a katana pierced him through both his hands. One of the samurai had finally managed to hit him. After the first successful hit, he was subjected to being pierced in a number of other places. With a sudden rush of adrenaline, Gai was able to push away his attackers, and force them to remove their blades from his body.

Once his attackers had been forced back, he openned the first gate as quickly as he could, a visible aura of power sprung forth around him. The samurais wasted no time and immediately returned to incapacitate him. Due to his full concentration in openning the gates, Gai was unable to notice that he was once again being attacked. After the fifth gate was open that he realized that the samurais did not halt their relentless attacks. Even with the advanced healing rate that one of the gates provided, he sported a few wounds on his person, while some of the samurai had dents and cracks on their armor thank to Gai's aura.

With renewed strength the spandex wearing nin viciously attacked the samurai, he may not be one who hides in shadow, but he sure was fast. He plunged a chakra covered fist through the gut of one of the attacking samurai, ensuring that the man never saw the light of day again. Following that attack, he spun around to decapitate another one with a kick to the man's neck. He followed this up with an elbow to another samurai's solar plexus, resulting in not only knocking the air out of the man's lungs, but due to the power behind the blow, was able to snap the man's spine in two. Jumping away from the now slightly dazed samurai, Gai jumped into the air, and went through a seal sequence and spat out a burning how Gokakyu no Jutsu, frying his remaining attackers to ashes. When he noticed that his attackers were all dead, he rushed away to the next fight, which was engaging another group of samurai and soldiers that had surrounded some genin, the fresh kind. Still in his super powered up state, he being a speedfreak, dealt as many blows to the surriunding attackers as possible, all the while breaking bones and outright killing them. Once they were put out of their misery he turned to the genin and ordered them to find and secure any injured konoha-nin that they could find.

Gai knew that he was nearing his limit in remaining in the state which he was in, any longer and he would start to endanger his life, which would not be beneficial, as there were many more of the enemy in the vicinity, and many more were arriving by the second. He quickly disengaged his power up technique and cloesd all the gates, but as he was about to run over to help one of his other comrades, he felt pain race down both of his arms as well as both of his legs. He then fell to the ground in a heap, standing over him was a single man, he was niether samurai nor soldier, but was a battle monk that specialized in medicine. On the man's face was a tatoo of the kanji for the number two.

"Death is too good for a fool like you. You killed my comrades, now feel the pain of having broken limbs, I hope to one day get to fight you again, for now is not the time for you to die," the monk said.

After saying his piece, the monk threw Gai to the trees in the direction that he knew that one of the chunin that were facilitating the beginning of the tactical retreat was. The chunin was surprised when the form of Maito Gai slammed into his person, he was also surprised to find the man screaming and shouting in pain. Moving quickly he motioned for two of the available ANBU to carry the injured taijutsu specalist to Konoha. When he looked back at the battlefield his eyes were caught by the gaze of the monk, as their eyes met the chunin gripped his chest, the space and above his heart, and died of a heart attack. One of the other nin near his position saw what had happened in disbelief, and rushed to his comrade with the hope that the man was still reviveable, but alas the chunin was dead.

'_They are pulling back Rosuto-sama, what are your orders?_' the monk asked his master via mental link.

'_Allow them to take their injured, we still need nin to fight in the future_,' was the reply that the monk received.

"Let 'em retreat! We have more important things to do!" the monk bellowed out to his comrades in his immediate area.

The officers that were in visual range of him noticed the tatoo, and quickly complied with the orders, and sent out runners to inform the others on the stretch of beach.

All across the shore line, ever few hundred meters there was a monk similar to the one that had injured Gai, all of them had relayed the same message to the men on the beach, all of them also sported the tatoo on their face of the kanji for the number two.

The Konoha-nin realized that they were being let go, and since they were given the chance to leave, they took it, there was a very small chance that they would be allowed to do so again. Swallowing their pride the shinobi left the battlefield, those that were still alive that is. All the dead were collected by the crocs and piled up.

Half way through the fight the giant snakes that Anko had managed to summon were dispelled and she was forced to retreat lest she become a bite sized snack for one of the basilisks. The basilisks had ordered their lesser cousins to pursue the snake mistress. They were curious about the summoning contract. The overwhelming number of snakes was more than enough to catch up to the fleeing kunoichi, but they were no match for appearance of Gamabunta and Jiraiya who had combined their attacks to produce a massive ball of fire that roasted more than half the snakes, which wasn't much of a loss to the Rosuto forces. But it did cause the snakes to retreat back to the beach. Jiraiya had raced toward the border after he heard from his spies that it was possible for Orochimaru to have allied himself with the Rosuto forces, while it was not likely, he still needed to make sure, so he summoned Gamabunta to bring him to the southern border. It was a good thing that he arrived when he did since he was able to save the snake mistress from who knows what fate from the snakes that were pursuing her. The sight of so many snakes had, for him, confirmed that indeed Orochimaru was allied with the new enemies of Hi no Kuni, and by relation Konohagakure no Sato.

Jiraiya and Gamabunta turned around and travelled back to Konoha with as many injured nin as the Toad boss could carry, most especially those that were in critical condition. Once they reached the village the medic teams quickly went to work on patching up the injured nin. The village thinking that they were safe from attack being so far in the country, as well as being protected on the outside by not only shinobi but by one of the armies of the Fire Daimyou who was also staying in the village, were more lax in their patrols of the perimeter of the village.

The village was unprepared for what happened after all the injured nin had been entered into the village and the gates were securely closed. The first sign of trouble came when one of the ANBU patrolling outside the village returned battered, bloody and alone. The ANBU was escorted by medics to the Hokage Tower where he gave his resport to the daimyou and the Hokage.

The squad that he was a part of had been attacked while they were returning to the village by the shadows themselves, the attack was very similar to the way the jutsu of the Nara clan worked. The shadows attacked the ANBU squad. But unlike regular shadows these ones flew away from the surfaces on which they were normally tied to, and lashed out at the nin. The nin were then forced to defend themselves from the razor sharp edges of the shadows that had by then become black blades of shadow. The shadows slashed at the ANBU aiming to kill them, when the first of the nin fell to the ground, her entire body covered in cuts and her head lying motionless away from her body, that was when the rest of the squad began to panic. But due to their training they did not show their outright panic, but they did order one of their number to escape to the village and report the attack. It seemed as if that was what the shadows, or at least the ones that were controlling the shadows had wanted, because just as the sole survivor had gotten away from visual range of his comrades, the screams of pain and agony echoed throughout that part of the forest. The ANBU did not slow down but sped up, when the screams had finally died down, the shadows pursued the escaping nin and managed to severely wound him, which for some reason he had not been able to notice until he collapsed on the floor of the Hokage's office on death's door after ending his report.

The medics that were accompanying the ANBU and the Hokage immediately went into action, but once the condition of the nin was stabilized, Tsunade left the office with the daimyou to talk tactics, along with them were the master tacticians of the land, Nara Shikaku and the Samurai's version of the man. The monks had declined in transfering to Konoha due to their obligation in protecting the relics that were kept in their temple.

While the leaders were coming up with plans on how to defend the village against the unkown attacker, the army outside were have a really bad day. The sun had set well over an hour ago, which meant that the land ws covered in darkness. The men at the endges of the army as well as the sentries were the first ones to notice that all was not right in the world. The first sign that made them realize that all was not right in the world was that there were some people in the moving around the trees around them. The army had situated itself in a number of clearings, they were all spread out around the village. In the dense forest surrounding the camps the sentries and the soldiers that were at the edges of the camp could see the shapes in the forest were moving around, seemingly forming a circle. But when some light was shone on the places where the shapes had been seen moving the soldiers saw nothing, there was no evidence of anyone ever being there. When the light moved onto another place, the shapes in the dark started to appear again. Some of the soldiers that were at the edges of the camp decided to investigate and entered the forest, bring torches with them to light the way. When the soldiers that had gone into the forest decided that they were just seeing things, they decided to walk back to camp, but before they could take another step back, they found out that they could not move for some reason, each of them also felt like something was physically holding them in place. Looking down the soldiers saw that there were black hands holding onto their legs, and holding them in place. Before they could unsheathe their swords and try and cut the hands off none of them could move their arms, that was when they realized that their arms were no longer attached to them. There was an illusion around them that made it possible for them not to feel the pain of losing their limbs. Instead of the soldiers holding onto the torches the soldiers could see that the shapes that they saw in the darkness were actually people that were covered head to toe in black clothes, some of which were holding onto the torches.

"We hope that your souls will be able to move on, nothing personal. Goodbye," was what was said to the soldiers before their muffled screams anguish and death filled cries rang out in silence for no one to hear.

The shadows around the Rosuto-nin devoured all evidence of the soldiers being there. After all the evidence had vanished the Rosuto-nins put out the torches and made their way to the camps to get rid of the soldiers that stood between them and Konoha. The ANBU patrols had already been nuetralized long before they let that one ANBU return to Konoha. Their remains would never be found.

When all the Rosuto-nin were at the edge of the forest, some of their frontliners took out the sentries using a combination of Kage Mane no Jutsu and Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu. Half of the Rosuto Naras ensnared the sentries with the surrounding darkness, while the other half moved their shadow and made it snap the necks of the sentries. Once all the sentries were taken out, the Naras then shadow walked to where the sentries were stationed and used Henge to look like them, in order for the rest of the camp to not get suspicious. Once that was done all the other Rosuto-nin used Henge to look like the other soldiers that had already died, these nin then infiltrated the camps, and mingled with the soldiers. Come midnight, the real attack would commence for them. They were going to take out all the soldiers in one night. Then come morning they would take the place of the army, using different kind of bushin to solve the problem of numbers. They would not attack the village yet, they had to wait for the village to send out the nins that were going to protect the eastern borders. It would not do if their armies did not find any resistance. They all just wanted a fair fight.

When the sun finally arose over the horizon basking the land in all its glory, Konoha had received word from the sentries that Fire country had posted along the eastern border stating that there was a fleet that was preparing to deploy forces and enter the country over there. After going over the information of the initial attack on the southern border Tsunade decided to send out some of the shinobi that she knew that could fight just as well on land as well as on water over to the eastern border. As well as send some other nin back to the southern border, there were a few fortresses scattered all over the country, a number of which could be found near the southern border. The daimyou had ordered some messengers to travel to those fortresses to inform the soldiers that were there to prepare for any possible attacks since the southern border had already been breached. It was bad not being able to form any form of wall to defend the country on that border. The daimyou also sent messengers back to the main camp of all his armies to send send out some troops to the eastern border to defend that undefended border from the invaders that were making their way there. It would take time, but they had time. In the meantime the Konoha-nin would stall the invaders while the armies made their way to the eastern border.

The messengers were allowed to pass by the disguised Rosuto-nin, they were also able to gleam some information from the passing messengers, which they passed on via the Noufu clansmen that were among them. They also allowed the Konoha-nin to travel to the eastern border, they did not want to reveal their presence and intentions too early in the game.

Not all the people in Hi no Kuni wanted to fight for their country, these people were labeled as traitors, but instead of being excecuted they were sent to the many prisons that littered the land. Not all of these people were civilians some of them were soldiers, some of them were even shinobi of Konoha. Information about hthe whereabouts of these people had been gathered by the Rosuto-nins. They wouldn't begin their official attack until after all the innocentrs in the war had been removed from Konoha, they didn't need any unescessary casualties in the game. One of the notable traitors was a cause of many problems for the Nara of Konoha, since it was the wife of the Konoha Master Tacticians that was one of the traitors. Yoshino refused to go against her adoptive father Tsuneo, even though he wasn't or hadn't yet been seen to be participating in the fighting, but it was highly likely that he was somewhere, at one border preparing to storm the country with his horde of puppets. Another member of Konoha that did not want to have anything to do with the war was Hyuuga Hinata, her devotion to her crush, or love, or obsession was so great that even with all the mental help that her family had gotten her she refused to go against him. Even though she was labelled as a traitor, she was not forced into prison, rather she was forced to live in the psychiatric ward of he Konoha hospital. There were a few others that refused to participate in the war, all of them were thrown into prison. These traitors took up the space left by the former criminals that were willing to fight in the war. It was fight for the country in exchange for a full pardon. They chose to fight, for it was better to die on a battlefield rather than in a cell. Mizuki was one of these people.

The impostor army waited for the end of the week to commence the liberation operation. They would be breaking out the prisoners, both innocent and not, our of the Konoha prison. While doing so they would be taking out a few people and things that once gone would allow the attacks that they had planned to go more smoothly.

Breaking into the village was easier said than done. They were not their daimyou, so they could not simply walk through the wall of the village, they also could not use the shadows for transportation, since for some reason the shadows refused to cooperate that much with them. The Shokon clan were no longer with them, since they were busy spying on the rest of the continent seeking information for future use.

The Rosuto-nins were aware of the bubble that surrounded the village that informed the ANBU if anyone entered the village through anywhere that was not the gate. They knew that by even just touching the walls the ANBU would be alerted. The only thing that they could think of doing was infiltrating the one means of entry that Konoha didn't think anyone would use, the sewers. Konoha's security bubble was like the kaiten, the only way in was either from the top or from below.

The Rosuto-nin dug holes in the ground well beyond the bubble, they then tunnelled their way to the village until they hit the sewers. They entered the village from different directions in groups of twenty five, so as not to arouse suspicion. The campfires were kept lit, and the camps alive with activity, so as to give the illusion that the camps were still on Hi no Kuni's side, and that the inhabitants of the camps were not plotting against the country.

The nins in the sewers hastily made their way towards the Konoha prison, they passed through the twists and turns of the roots of the great tree that was konoha, it took them an hour to navigate their way to the underground prison. Once there each group had five of their number cast a genjutsu to silence the prisoners in order for them not to alert the guards to their presence. Ten from each group then sought out the guards and snuffed out their lives, then after the shadows devoured the bodies, those assassins took the places of the guards. Once the situation had been explained to the prisoners, they let out the prisoners using the keys that the guards had on their persons, and led them to the sewers. The nins in Henge looked around the passage ways that lead to the surface, making note of all the entrances and exits as well as security measures that were in place. The information was then handed over to the Rosuto-nins that were leaving with the escapees, the genjutsu casters then layered a couple illusions over one another to give the illusion that there were people in the cells. Before heading back out to the campsites, the nins and their charges made their way to under the different houses that had children in them, the shadows were cooperative enough to inform then of the whereabouts of the children in the village. Once under one of the homes the nin attacked a seal tag right below the home of the child, then moved on. Once all the places had seal tags attached to them, the groups made haste to the campsites. The espcapees were then forced to walk through shadow gates that opened up in Yami no Kuni, so that they would have nothing to do with the war, and would be safe. It was their out and they all were forced to take it. Among the traitors of fire country there was at least one member from each clan that had children that were not part of the fighting force, these clansmen would look after the children when they were all in Yami no Kuni, the seal tags would be used by the Rosuto mages stationed in Yami no Kuni, the seal tags allowed the mages to force teleport the children to where they were. Prisonbreak and mass kidnappings all in one night. The Rosuto forces tried to make their way into the Konoha hospital but there were more security measures around that place for them to handle in such a short time, they were also too complex for the infiltrators to breakdown and reform without getting caught in one night. They lacked the centuries worth of knowledge and experience to do that.

Once dawn once again arrived, the village was oblivious to the events that transpired during the night. But once afternoon struck the village leaders knew that something was wrong since that was when the reports of missing children came in. Genin teams were sent out in the village to search for the missing children. But to no avail they could not be found. In their homes there didn't appear to be any sign that pointed to the children being kidnapped, but there were also no signs that pointed to the children leaving of their own accord. There were also reports of missing mothers, and pregnant women. The genin teams that were available were working overtime. Some chunins were also enlisted to aid in finding these missing people. Konoha was big for a place that was called a village, but the cities that littered the land were a lot bigger. In actuality the village should have been called a city, but due to it being the center of all shinobi related things in the country it remained as a village.

The daimyou sent out messengers to the camps to ask each if they had encountered anything out of the ordinary during the night, as well as the previous days. He had also noticed that the ANBU that were supposed to report in from the patrols were all long overdue, and needed to know if any of his troops had encountered anything unusual, or encountered any of the missing ANBU. But all the messengers that returned reported that the camps all had not encountered anything out of the ordinary. The daimyou then sent out new orders, the camps were to move closer to the village, he feared an attack, so it would be best if the defense was a lot closer to the village, that way the village would have a greater defensive strength. Unfortunately he just ordered the enemy to come closer to the village.

Due to a direct order from the daimyou to canel the bubble that surrounded, she ordered the ANBU to do such a thing. The order was made in order for the nins that were assigned to that task to better prepare the village defenses. He believed that there was no way for their enemy to make it through an entire military encampment, as well as the number of shinobi that were patrolling the walls of Konoha. Little did he know that he was not in complete control of his self. There was another infiltator in the village, some of the puppets of Tsuneo had been left behind when the group left the village during the declaration of war. The puppet was programmed with the task of making sure that the Rosuto-nin would have an easier time making it inside the village, and wreacking as much havoc as they could. Tsuneo's puppets were able to control other puppets, and since humans could be turned into puppets, the puppets could control the movements and to a certain extent the thoughts of those individuals as well.

When the impostor army was confortable waiting outside the walls of the village, they had some of their number enter the village at random intervals, as not to appear suspicious to the defenders. Due to the dropping of the bubble, their identities were kept secret, and their movements were not tracked. It took two more whole days for all the preparations for the attack to be finished. Once all the infiltrators were in position, and made it known to their comrades outside the walls via chakra burst morse code, which seemed so erratic that the Konoha-nin paid it no mind, the signal for the commencement of the attack was given. The signal being an exagerated amount of ninja smoke from the release of the Henge of the impostor army. The bushins were left as they were, it was like a play, all the bushins acted like they were the real soldiers and engaged their creators, they even sent word to the village about the infiltration into the camp. Konoha-nin were sent out to the army camp to assist the soldiers, once the gates to the village were left open and a certain number of nin joined the battle in the camp, the bushins showed their true colors and attacked the Konoha-nins, allowing half of their creators to make their way to the semi-undefended village. The infiltrators inside the village released their Henges and, using explosive notes and seal tags, blew up parts of the village.

Since the puppets couldn't fully control the actions of the daimyou they released their hold on him and joined the battle, their goal being to bypass all the fighters and make their way back to their creator before they ran out of chakra and returned to being useless pieces of natural resources. The daimyou having gained back full control of his body, immediately ordered his troops to initiate all countermeasures to the attack. The Hokage was already ahead of him, and ordered as many of the remaining nin to engage the enemy, and make sure as much of their beloved village was intact after they had repelled the enemy. She believed that it was entirely possible for them to repel the attack.

Personally Tsunade did not want to have any part in the war, but due to her being Hokage it was her duty to lead the forces of Konoha during war, and she couldn't for the life of her allow someone like Danzo control of Konoha. After Mikio had helped with the preparation of the defenses of the country, she had ordered him to retreat to Yami no Kuni with the few people that she could smuggle out, so that they would not be a part of the war. Mikio had intriduced himself as being a member of the Juushu clan, therefore he was a liability that the war council would not allow to stick around, much more live while at war with the head of the Juushu clan.

Near the main Ninja Academy one of the infiltrators, a member of the Kasui clan, was laying waste to the area surrounding him. The Kasui clan specialized in flinging spikes that protruded from their body, they were a clan whose members could made all the hairs on their bodies sharper than any kunai, when they used this kekkai genkai, they were like humanoid porcupines. This particular nin was filling the area with exploding spikes, he flung his spike like hairs around him, all of them were covered in chakra that made the hairs not only pierce through the surrounding but also act like explosive notes. The projectiles were thinner than senbon, and were causing the defending chunin in the area problems. All the attacks were very random, seeing as the Kasui clan member was dancing around seemingly without a care in the world all the while laying waste to his surroundings. The konoha-nins had tried to throw their own explosive notes in his direction, but he spikes detonated all the tags prematurely, which in some cases was when the tags or notes had yet to leave the hands of several chunin. Several chunin had tried to hit him by making use of a combined attack consisting of several medium sized earth dragons missles. But due to his explosive defense, the Kasui clansman was able to avoid being rammed by such a combined effort, also due to his constantly moving, the next group of chunin that attempted to do it again were unable to pinpoint his exact location.

Over in the forests behind the Aburame clan compound a group of Tentoumushi clansmen were engaged in combat with the Aburame clan. Both bug users didn't seem to find any way to subdue their opponent, it was almost a stalemate. While the Aburame were relying heavily on their destruction bugs, the Tentoumushi clansmen were relying on their ladybugs just as much as they were relying on their Fuuton and Katon jutsu, of course what made the battle so even was that the Aburame's bugs' numbers were simply overwhelming. The ladybugs weren't that many, but they had a high resistance to fire and ice for some reason. One of the Ladybug users grew impatient at the staleamate and decided to summon up the clan's summons, grabbing away five others of his clan, they all went through the special summon seal sequence and slammed their palms on the ground at the same time. But instead of a bug appearing out of the smoke, there was a gate that resembled a rashoumon gate. The rest of their clan moved behind the gate, while the Aburame clan temporailiy halted their assult opting to stare at the gate not knowing the plan of the enemy. Instead of merely staying in place and being used as some kind of defensive barrier, the gate was flung open, and out of the gate with its swirling mists and such flew out nine giant ladybugs, each one the size of Gamabunta. Once the giants were out the gate closed and vanished. If the Aburame once had more bugs that their opponent they now faced something that mere numbers could not hope to beat. The nine ladybugs, after landing and flattening a few trees, closed their wings and allowed the Tentoumushi clansmen to ride on their backs on the space before the wings openings. Before the Aburame could renew their attacks the giants opened their armored backs, and instead of wings coming out to lift the bugs into the air, millinos upon millions of ladybugs flew out from under the armor. All of which converged upon the Aburame and their destruction bugs.

"You think they were all wiped out! Well think again!" one of the Tentoumushi clansmen shouted from atop one of the giants. He was referring to the giants that for a time roamed and ruled the world. The destruction bugs literally shivered upon hearing and understanding the information.

Fearing for their very existence some of the destruction bugs turned on their hosts, and started to attack their allies. The ladybugs did not bother attacking those that were helping them. Luckily for some of the Aburame, some of them knew some defensive Doton Jutsu that they used to hide themselves from the onslaught brought about by the Tentoumushi clan. Even with the nine giants the clan did not make a move on Konoha, their target were only the Aburame clan.

Some of the braver members of the Aburame clan decided that they would have to stick together and possibly try and drain the chakra from the summons, and possibly force them to return to their realm. Aburame Shibi and Shino both of whom had the largest amount of bugs at their disposal sent all that they could to the closest giant, and tried to drain it of chaka. In doing so the Aburame realized that the giants were not real, and that they were an intimidation tactic used to force allies to battle one another. The truth was that the giants were nothing more than containers for the swarms of ladybugs that were assulting them from all sides. So the Aburame really had nothing to worry about from the giant constructs. The only thing they had to worry about were the bugs that were immune to fire that were swarming around them.

While the Aburame were having their little bug war, the Hyuuga found themselves in a predicament which they didn't think they'd ever find themselves in. Half of the branch house of the clan, which consisted of one third of the Hyuuga clan, were revolting, the reason behind their boldness was that the Rosuto-nins that had assulted their compound were Hyuuga as well, all of whom did not sport any kind of restrictive seal. The only way to tell the difference from main and branch was an earing, the main had one with a blue spiral design, and the branch a red one of the same design. Main and Branch of the Rosuto Hyuuga clan worked as one cohesive unit. All of them were showing more teamwork compared to the Konoha Hyuuga clan. There was another thing that the Konoha Hyuugas did not think that they would ever have to encounter, this was a Hyuuga using not only the Jyuuken but ninjutsu as well, some of the Rosuto-Hyuuga were using other taijutsu styles as well. The Konoha-Hyuuga-Main were tempted to use the Cage Bird Seal to eliminate the traitors, but chose not to due to them losing the whole Branch house, both the traitors and the loyal ones.

The sealed members of the Konoha-Hyuuga were ststegiacally moved to the back of the Rosuto-Hyuuga group, in order for them not to have to fight their family, since they knew that they did not want to have to harm their Branch bretheren, just the main ones.

Suiton and Doton clashed with Kaiten. But overall the two sides were equal, neither one seeming to have any other trump cards up their sleeves, and what long sleeves they were. If someone from another clan, or simply put a civilian could see the Hyuuga battle from a bird's eye view, they would notice that the fight looked like some incredibly elaborate dance. Even though some of the Rosuto-Hyuuga used different taijutsu styles, it all seemed to mesh perfectly together, resulting in all of them seeming to be dancing instead of fighting. It was a deadly dance that they were a part of. For some reason, none of the attacks of either side kept meeting blocks or some sort of defensive move, none of the attacks were making any clean hits. Some of the Rosuto-Hyuuga were actually finding the fight to the death quite enjoyable, some of those ones were actvively smiling and others were outright laughing, which just made the Konoha-Hyuuga more infuriated thinking that their cousins were mocking them, which some of them were.

Before the Konoha-nins could get anymore infuriated, all the nins had to jump away from each other since another fight had spilled into the compound. This one concerned the Akimichi clan, who were fighting a clan that were similar to them, the difference being that the clan was limited in only being able to expand their limbs, but they were also able to add more power to their punches without having to expend any chakra. The clan that the Akimichi were battling was the Hourensou clan. One of them had punched an enlarged Akimichi Chouza right into the Hyuuga clan compound.

The battle between the fat men and the muscle men was nuttier than the Hyuuga dancers. These big boned men and women, were having a hard time pinning the other down. While the Akimichi tried to crush their opponents, the Hourensou just punched away the Akimichi like they were just some punching bag, one of which had just happened to be hit with enough force to fling him all the way to the Hyuuga compound. One of the problems that the Akimichi were facing was that the Hourensou clansmen had figured out how to remove the elastic and enlargable quality of the clothing and armor of the Akimichi, which caused some of the members to avoid super sizing themselves, but still enlarging their limbs in attempts to fight fire with fire. But alas their little tactic did not work, apparently their short tempers when called fat ran in the family, when in this enraged state the Akimichi clan did not really think straight, which caused some of them to fight one another and a few of their fellow Konoha-nin. But some of the members were able to control this urge to bash the insulter to smitherins, unfortunately the Akimichi were mad enough not to care at this point in time, and it was Hyuuga Hiashi's mistake to call Chouza fat, which resulted in the Hyuuga having to not only deal with their fellows, but also with some enraged Akimichi.

Luckily or unlucky depending how one were to look at it, one of the Hyuuga that were unfortunate or fortunate enough to have their legs broken due to the wieght of one of the Akimichi was Hinata, she was allowed to visit her family the day of the attack, she had arrived at the compound right before the attack began, and had been forced to hide somewhere, since she was not of the mind to help her family, village, and country.

Since there were more than enough ladybugs to deal with the Aburame some of the Tentoumushi clansmen decided that it would be okay to send their bugs to go help their allies. That was what met the Yamanaka clan, a large group of Mushi Bushin made out of ladybugs, but the Yamanaka didn't know that. Once they tried to posses the ladybugs, they ended up screaming their lungs out, some literally, due to the complexty of the minds of the little insects. When they realized that that tactic was not working, Inoichi ordered his clansmen to try and force their opponents to die by attacking their minds and not by entering the mind, the bugs had yet to show their true form. They walked as if they were zombies, and for some reason, the Yamanaka noticed, they were being avoided by the other invaders. The attacks that were excecuted by the Yamanaka were successful, the one mind that they attacked resulted in the owner of the mind's death, but unfortunately that was only one bug, but with hundreds more to replace it, it didn't really do much. Once the Yamanaka clansmen were backed up in a corner, the Yamanakas decided that it was time to use some elemental jutsu, so they let out streams of water and fire, when this didn't seem to affectthe zombie like opponents, the Yamanaka decided that it was time to engage the enemy physically. That was the worst thing that they could do, when the first punch hit home, the bugs released their transformation and covered the Yamanaka, then a split second later the bugs along with their victim exploded in a shower of blood and gore. After the first death more and more of the Yamanaka fell to the same fate. Ten Yamanaka at a time lost their lives to the bugs. The bugs didn't mind that they were commiting suicide, but as long as they took one of the ir opponents down with them it was all worth it.

The Nara were fairing the worst out of all the clans that Konoha was home to. Their opponents were the Rosuto-Nara along with the shadows themselves. The Konoha-Nara could not use any of their clan jutsu, as one of their number had attempted to do so, but was killed by his own technique, and it wasn't even a harmful jutsu. The Nara were then left with only their weapons and taijutsu, for even their genjutsu were reliant on the shadows. The Nara were also forced to avoid any and all shadows that weren't their own. The Rosuto-Naras moved here and there, the shadows decided to be cooperative. Using both shadows and kunai to cut down the Konoha-Nara clansmen. The only members that they weren't targetting and were avoiding entirely was the head family, due to Shikau being married to one of them, as well as being in-laws of the Hyakume Elder. The Konoha-Nara clan once boasted having more than two thousand members, but due to the actions of the Rosuto-Nara, their number was significantly lowered. Half the number would not live to see another day.

The Nara were having a hard time dodging and trying to block all the attacks that were coming their way, some of the members had to resort to using flash bombs to not only blind their enemy, but also push away the shadows. What those members didn't count on was that the shadows were determined to take out as many of the abusive and conceited Konoha-Nara. These Nara who thought that they could freely control the shadows were paying for years of thinking that the shadows were nothing but tools.

A little while later the Nara were aided by some members of Ne, these members were able to create ink creatures to do their being, these things resembled the shadows when they took on a more solid form, some of the shadows and some of the Rosuto-Nara mistook the ink beasts for shadow constructs and paid them no mind til it was too late. But once they knew that the ink beasts were not their allies the Rosuto-Nara split their focus between the Konoha-Nara and the new arrivals.

It was fortunate for the Nara that the Ne forces arrived when they did, but it was not so fortunate for the Ne forces that they did arrive when they did. They may have taken out some of the invaders, but a few of their number made the mistake of exposing their tatoos, which indicated that they were members of Ne. The Rosuto-nins were ordered that should they ever encounter a Konoha-nin that sported a tatoo of the kanji for root, they were to disengage any other target and focus solely on the Ne operative. Upon seeing the tatoo on the creators of the ink beasts the Rosuto-Nara and the shadows started to give off a deadly feel, the air around them grew heavy for some reason. Along with the orders that they were given, they were given the reason behind the importance of ridding the world of Ne. If there was one thing that the Rosuto citizens despised above all things was soemone harming, or even wishing harm, on the members of the Rosuto Royal Family. Kidnapping and planning to use Tokage Yoshiko as a hostage constituted as harming a member of the Rosuto Royal Family, she being the step-daughter of their daimyou. The underhanded means that she was kidnapped didn't help their case either.

The Konoha-Nara witnessed what could have happened to them if the Rosuto-Nara actually went all out on them. The Rosuto-nins sank into the shadows, once fully inside the shadow realm, they let their intentions guide the shadows, the shadows adding more darkness to those dark plans and thoughts. The thirty members of Ne that had come to aid the Nara, along with their more than three hundred ink beasts stood no chance to sheer ferocity of the attacks employed by the Rosuto-nins. Shadow beasts jumped out of the shadows and tore out pieces of flesh from the bodies of the Ne-nins. None of the beast outright killed the nins, but all the attackers made sure that the Ne operatives died incredibly slow and pain filled deaths. Whenever a limb was torm off the shadows or possibly the Rosuto-nin made sure to cauterize the wound ensureing that the Ne operative did not die of bloodloss. The Elite of the Elite were helpless against the viciousness and relentless attacks of the Rosuto-nin. The Konoha-Nara were unable to move due to what they were seeing, and even if they did move there was absolutely nothing they could do to help the suffering men and women, the only thing that they would do was kill them, but even if they tried to the shadows would block any of the attempts.

The Kurama clan was the premier clan when it came to the art of genjutsu, there were very few clans in all of elemental that could rival them. But the Rosuto-nin that were assigned to keeping that clan occupied was one of the few clans that could give them a run for their money. The Meimu clan specialized in using genjutsu as both their offensive and defensive weapons. Their attacks were all focused on killing their opponents by attacking the mind, but in a more creative way as compared to the Yamanaka. The Meimu and Kurama clans faced off creating genjutsu after genjutsu, the Kurama did not only rely on their illusions but also physically attacked their opponents. The Meimu knew this, which was why the Meimu had created a few basic bushin to fool the Kurama into thinking that they were within their grasps, when in fact the Meimu were sending out their illusions from the safety of a number of places that were far from the Kurama clan district. The Meimu also had the advantage of having the Kame clan defending them. The Kame clan took care of turtles, and used the specially treated and modified turtle shells as both their offensive and defensive weapons. The Kame clan used almost every part of a turtle as one of their tools. Kame clan lore even stated that their a few of their ancestors were actually turtles at one point in their lives, but were granted instant reincarnation by one of the Enlightened Ones.

The Kurama clan weren't much of a challenge once the Meimu figured out their weakness of greatest fear. What the Kurama feared the most was that their illusions having no effect on their target. That was another reason for the creation of the simple bushins, being illusions themselves, they would not be affected by illusions created by the Kurama, which would give the illusion that the Meimu were immune to illsions. While the Kurama were busy trying to trick something that was not itself real, the Meimu would be creating layered genjutsu and layering them over the kurama district, this was part of the illusion that the bushins were a part of. It wouldn't do to just scare the Kurama a little bit, if there were no attacks one of the Kurama might tryto physically confront one of the bushin. The Meimu divided the task of keeping the bushins alive, and the creation of the illusions amongst themselves.

Not all of the illusions created by the Meimu were geared toward killing or just turning their victims insane, some of their illusions were geared towards just plain confusing and possibly even entertaining their victims, slowly turning their minds to mush. Showing non-harmful things dulled the mind, relaxed it, and when the Meimu thought that the minds were relaxed and dulled enough they would attack with more offensive things, like showing the village burning to the ground, and the blood of the innocent spilled and covering the hands of the killers, the Kurama themselves. The illusions would show the Kurama, or make them think that their illusions had finally taken over their minds and created or gained a life of their own, the illusions also suggesting that they had gained a more violent personality, that they sufered from a severe case of violent MPD. The chakra found within the illusions and that were keeping the illusions active would aso find the cracka and spaces in the in the mind which are visible when the mind is dulled or relaxed, the chakra would then be controlled and made to enter the mind, then move the illusions to the subconscious, once that was done, the illusions on the outside would somehow cause the Kurama to collapse into unconsciousness, and when in he land of dakrness, the things that go bump in the night would be made real via the subconscious, this would cause further damage to the minds of the Kurama, and possibly kill a few of them.

Luckily for the Kurama, another clan came to their rescue, and prevented many of the Kurama from dying, the Nuru clan was a clan that had a Kakkai Gankai with the ability to disrupt genjutsu, the disruption was automatic and could not really be suppressed unless the Nuru clansman used seals to supress the ability. The Nuru were able to get the Kurama out of their genjutsu induced trances, which resulted in fewer of them being knocked unconscious and suffering from premature death.

To stop the meddling of the Nuru clan, the Mori clan, while no originally a shinobi clan, had decided to attack the Nuru. The Mori clan was one of the noble clans of Rosuto as well as one of the formerly ruling clans of one of the nine lands, one of the Elders of the Clan being the daughter of their daimyou. The clan's speciality was just plain fighting, the clan was not considered as a shinobi clan but half of its members were shinobi. They retained the ferocity and viciousness of their ancestors, the same fearsome behavior that made the former Tetsu no Kuni people respect them. They tore into the Nuru clan allowing the Meimu to continue their work. The Nuru clan were all around shinobi, meaning they used everything at their disposal, which included ninjutsu and genjutsu, while the Mori were weapon masters and used those and taijutsu as their weapons and means of offense.

Several hundred Ne operatives were deployed and assigned to searching for the ones responsible for the vulnerability of the Kurama clan. These operatives were lucky enough to find the Meimu, but were unlucky enough to expose their identity to the Kame clan. This unfortunate, for them, event resulted in a bloodbath facilitated by the Kame clan. The Kame used their shell shields to bash in the heads of the unsuspecting Ne operatives, even thought the operatives answered the attacks with jutsu and sword strikes they were no match for the Kame clan. Before one of the Kame were to be hit with an attack from a Ne operative, the Kame clansmen would hide behide his shell shield, then from somewhere around his shield he would attack his opponent using a blade fashioned out of specially tempered turtle bones. The coup de grace employed by the Kame clan would then be the summoning of one of their bigger turtles that would fall down out of the sky and crush the Ne operatives, along with any of the surrounding structures.

In the Inuzuka district the dog using clan were pelted with attack after attack from a clan that for some reason used kitsune as their partners, the clan was known as the Hige clan. While the Inuzuka clan were physically stronger than the Hige, the Hige were faster, and while the Inuzuka were more prone to having an affinity for earth, while the Hige were more in tune with fire than the Uchiha clan ever were. Fireballs, streams of fire, and gouts of flame met mud balls, streams of mud, and earth projectiles in mid air, the nins using the attacks never staying in the same place, always constantly moving. Their partners didn't bothering transforming and simply went at it like during the time of their ancient rivalry dictated. While the humans fought with jutsu, fists, feet, and metal, the foxes and the dogs tore into one another with their teeth and claws.

Various other shinobi clans and other fighters all within and around Konoha were clashing with one another. The village and its populace of more than a million individuals, was being reduced to three fourths of that number, and going down fast. Half of the village was already reduced to rubble by the time that Danzo released half of his Ne force onto the invaders. Once it was known that the reinforcements were Ne operatives the Rosuto forces started to get more serious. They disregarded the other Konoha-nin and focused on the Ne forces. But instead of wiping out the Ne like the other times that some of the Rosuto forces encountered small groups of them, this time it was more like they were stalling the Ne forces for some reason.

A single chakra wave was released and felt within and around the village, upon feeling it hit them, all of the Rosuto forces began their withdrawal from the battlefield. Once the Konoha forces noticed that the Rosuto-nins were falling back and retreating a cheer rang throughout the village. The villagers rejoicing at what they perceived to be a victory for them. Even Danzo looked to be visibly pleased. Even though many had died in the initial attack, they still thought that they had won, and that they had done something to scare off the invaders. But what they couldn't figure out was who or what had actually caused the invaders to up and run.

Even the daimyou, knowing that he had lost a considerable number of men was rejoicing along with his officers.

Tsunade and a few Konoha-nin did not join in on the impromptu celebration. She along with those few nin thought it odd that the Rosuto forces would call for a retreat when they were clearly winning. She was a top the Hokage mountain as were all the other officers, most of whom were cheering. She was looking out toward the horizon, where there was a visible line of shapes in the sky that did not look anything like clouds. These little splotches or spots in the sky seemed to be growing bigger and bigger every second that ticked by. A few minutes later it clicked in Tsunade's mind what they were.

"Attention this is your Hokage speaking!" Tsunade spoke through the village wide PA system, "Gather all the injured, get everyone in the hospital to the evacuation tunnels as quickly as possible! I repeat, get everyone to the evacuation tunnels as quickly as possible!"

This announcement grabbed the attention of all the party people, they all wondered why, but since it was a direct order from the Hokage, and they did not hear any counter order from their daimyou all the villagers complied, but they didn't do it as quickly as they possibly could, thinking that there was any impending or approaching danger.

It was during the impromptu evacuation annoucement that Tsume remembere that she and Kuromaru had fought a dragon. She then looked to the sky hoping not to see what she thought might be the cause of the evacuation order. To her dismay, they were there, there looked to be well over a hundred to them, and they were closing in on the village fast.

"Inuzukas pick up the pace! The enemy are sending in an aerial strike! Pick up the pace!" Tsume barked out to her kinsmen, "Someone get the word out to pick up the pace!"

Her kinsmen rushed to do as ordered. They spread the word many of the ones that heard them, at first did not believe what was being said about an aerial attack, but when the dragons in the sky were pointed out they did as they were told. More and more of the village were told about the impending attack. More and more people picked up the pace. It was a good thing that Konoha was a shinobi village, they were able to get all the injured, as well as the hospital patients to the evacuation tunnels that ran and reached another city within the country.

"Get everyone that can't fight to safety!" Tsunade's voice rang throughout the village.

Within minutes of second order, the ones that were unable to continue to fight the good fight were safely in the tunnels, and were being moved to the city on the other end of the tunnel. While more and more people entered the tunnel. But there were those that refused to leave the village. These people decided to hide, and wait out the coming storm. One of these people was Danzo who decided to hide out in the underground complex of the village, among the roots of the great tree.

Tsunade and a few of her more loyal ANBU waited on top of the Hokage Mountain for the strike to commence. She didn't have to wait long, as soon as the last person who wished to leave, made it into the tunnels, the dragons were above Konoha, breathing down jets of flame, the mages on their backs hurling fireballs at the village below, the archers attempted to snipe the shinobi hidden around the village. The archers on the backs of the dragons tried to snipe the hiding nin. They paid no mind to the Hokage and the few nins on the Hokage Mountain. The daimyou was one of the people that had chosen to evacuate, and live to fight another day. It was not only the village that the dragons and mages were setting on fire, the surrounding forest too was being cooked, the forests of fire were being turned into literal forests of fire. The aerial strike came at around dusk, so the sky was filled with smoke, and the smell of sulfur permeated the air. Instead of the darkness that came with the setting of the sun, the night was filled with the light from the flames that burned on the surface of the Land of Fire.

Some of the nin decided that they did not enjoy seeing their beloved home burned to the ground, so some tried to douse the flames with suiton jutsus, others attempted to attack the dragons and their riders with long range attacks. The flames could not be doused due to them being hotter than the water that was being poured or thorwn or spat on them, and the dragons were either to far or were to fast for the jutsu to hit. Some of the retaliating nins suffered more than those that had fought with the initial invasionary force. Many of the retaliating nin were turned into snacks for the dragons. A few of the dragons would roast them, then one of their number would swoop down and eat the unfortunate individual. The burning of the great tree lasted well into the night, and ended four hours before the dawn, the dragons having spent their reserves, the mages their mana, and the archers their arrows.

Once the dragons had finally left the village, the final attack on the village occurred, out of the burning night thousand of flapping wings could be heard. These wings belonged to bats. The bats were coming from all over, from everywhere. The remaining surviving nin were unprepared for the black death that rained down upon them. The bats weren't meant to kill the remaining nin, but to try and possibly drive them insane, or lead them to the road of instability and insanity. An hour before the dawn the bats left the village, leaving behind a village of warriors who knew to fear the night.

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To be continued..._

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Up next on Lost.._

_you'll find out what is up next when it gets uploaded..._

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I hope you enjoyed or even just liked the chapter..if you didn't don't bother reviewing, just mail me instead._


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Reminder: Rosuto Juushu = Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto

**Lost**

**Chapter 23**

Hi no Kuni had fortified its defenses as best as it could within the amount of time that it was given, which was a year. Even when they saw the army of Rosuto no Kuni they continued to prepare, somehow they instinctively knew that they still had time. An army of such magnitude wouldn't mind all that much if their target raised its defenses to a higher level, it was an army with the look that loved a challenge. If it was a challenge Rosuto wanted, who was Hi to refuse them. So they built up their walls, and prepared their own seige engines. Catapults and ballistas, as well as all other manner of long range fighters and armaments. The archers stood shoulder to shoulder on the wall that protected the Land of Fire, the wall that separated Hi from Ame. Hi did not really know what to expect, but they were going to great lengths to make sure that the enemy could not one-up them. Along with the regular army of soldiers and samurai the Fire Country forces had a number of Shinobi at its beck and call. Hi thought that they had the advantage of knowing the lay of the land better than the invaders, but what they didn't know was that the Rosuto forces didn't care. They were confident enough to be able to break through the defenses without worry.

The Rosuto forces had received additional orders asides from attack from where they were. The additional orders stated that they were to let Hi keep their pride, for a while, then slowly break it down, not smash their pride instantly, but gradually. It would not do to let such a great nation lose face so quickly in the game. That and Rosuto hadn't had a real battle in a thousand years, they needed to reenter the world with a bang, and what better way than by wittling away at the defenses of one of the greatest nations in all the continent.

The Dragon Flights had been ordered to arange themselves in a straight line, when they were ordered to attack they would go in fast and furious, then leave as quickly as they came. The dragons would get to fire a round of fire, they were to burn the forest behind the defenders. Their riders would all be quipped with arrows, that would be used to hinder the defenders from halting the rain of fire. The dragons would be the ones to force the Fire forces into having to fight as if their lives were on the line, since a dragon's flame worth of fire forest would be to hot for any reinforcements to get through. The first defensive line of Hi no Kuni would be forced into acting as if they were the last line of defense of the entire country.

But the dragons wouldn't be the first ones to perform on the battlefield. Once the order to attack was received by the Noufu clansmen, the order to attack was relayed to the Three Sakana Generals, who in turn ordered the catapults and ballistas to open fire on the walls. Thousands of flaming rocks were hurled into the air, alongside thousands of giant flaming arrows. Some hit the wall blowing gaping holes in them which were immediately repaired or reinforced by chakra contructs by the shinobi present. Many parts of the walls were skewered by the giant flaming arrows. But not all of the projectiles were successful in hitting their target, some of these things either went to far, and ended up crushing the supposedly protected forces on the othetside of the wall, and in some cases didn't manage to reach the wall. After the first salvo, another one was ordered to be fired. This time they were accompanied by a shower of flaming arrows, the regular sized kind. Even before the dragons were to begin their own attack, it was already raining down fire, but this time with sharp pointy ends that were meant to pierce all those unlucky enough to be between the arrows and the ground.

All the stroops of the Rosuto forces wore emotionless masks, it would not do to display one's emotions on the battlefield, as well as be controlled by them. Some of the soldiers, those that could see their generals noticed that they too wore emotionless masks, even the normally happy-go-lucky-and-sadistic Rosuto Naruto wore a passive face of indifference. They were all afterall the ones giving orders on as to how to end lives. It would not do to show remorse for their actions.

On the Hi no Kuni side, things were not going as planned, they were being bombarded by salvo after salvo of projectlies, all of which sported a burning quality. The shinobi were running hither and tither just to make sure that absolutely none of the fire remained burning, others were running about patching the holes in the walls, while others were trying to reinforce the walls, preparing them for the next salvo. The wall was being treated like a muscle, each time it broke, it was somehow made stronger after it healed. But even with all the strengthening that the wall underwent, the barrage continued, as if unperturbed by the apparent efforts of the defenders. The archers on the walls remained unmoving, even as they saw their comrades being blown off of the wall. When they were given he order to fire at will, they did with as much gusto as they could muster. The flaming arrows and the regular arrows clashed in mid air, stopping as many of the enemies arrows from even reaching the wall. The catapult and ballista bombardment were also being halted by the return fire of the defenders. When the wall wasn't being damaged as much as it was at the beginning, some of the shinobi left the safety of the walls and used what long range jutsu they had in their arsenal, while at the same time trying to rush the enemy. They were shinobi, they were faster than any projectile, speed was one of the things they were known for. But that didn't stop the attackers, when the Rosuto forces noticed the incoming shinobi Kuraku Yuji signalled for the dragon flights to begin their attack.

A few of the Konoha-nin had bird summons, some of these had summons large enough to carry people. Those with such summons took to the skies to try their hand at an aerial battle with the dragons and their riders, seeing as the summons were of the intelligent and not just sentient sort, they were able to combine jutsu with their summoners, while at the same time also use jutsu of their own. In the skies the bird summons and their summoners clashed with some of the dragons, since the number of sbird summons was very limited, they were unable to stop many of the dragons that were making their way into and past the border to complete their objective, which was to set the forests of fire on fire. The dragons that met with the summoned resistance gave into their primal urges and instincts and clashed with the birds, they didn't let the birds pull out any jutsu and just attacked like the beasts that they still considered themselves to be. Their riders were forced to abandon ship, and jump off of their back. Good thing that the riders all were equipped with hand gliders and crossbows, they let lose a downpour of crossbow bolts of their own on the way down. After successfully drenching the trees with fire the returning dragons joined the battle with the losing bird summons, which also resulted in their riders being forced to jump ship and tear into the defenders on their way down, which was the ground just inside the walls.

When these glidiers were close to the ground they disengaged their wings and landed on the ground still firing a constnt stream of bolts at the surrounding Hi forces. The disengaged gliders blew themselves up due to the automatic self destruct mechanism implanted in them, this would asure the Rosuto forces that none of their technology would be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. The riders then made their way through the wall and racing back towards their army. Some of them did not make it, those that were felled by the defenders' attacks burst into flames, like the soldiers of old. They had all agreed that if they were to fall in battle they would not let even their bodies be taken by the enemy.

The shinobi that were making their way towards the enemy lines realized too late that they had chosen the wrong action. They realized this when out of nowhere they were attacked by mounted cavalry, but instead of horses, the mounts were the battlecats, the sabertooths tore into the shinobi while their riders skewered the shinobi with their spears and pikes. Upon seeing some of their comrades die at the hands and teeth of the invaders the other shinobi did the sensible thing and retreated back to the safety of the walls, but they too were too late in recognizing their error, for what met them on their way back were the rapidly fired crossbow bolts of the enemy. Within only a few hours of the battle, Konoha had lost well over one fourth of its shinobi stationed at the west border. Luckily of the other fire forces, they didn't suffer as much since they were all attacking and defending from behind the walls. The shinobi were impatient and it caused their downfall.

After the dragons had disposed of the summons, they flew back behind their lines to prepare for whatever Yuju would have them do next. After all the dragons had returned, as well as their respective riders, all the attacks from the Rosuto side stopped, and any and all attacks from the Hi side that were still heading their way but were stopped thanks a protective barrier created by the mages in the army. When the defenders realized that their attacks were not having any effect they stopped their own barrage. They did't do anything other than repair their defenses and the like. They didn't dare be the ones to begin the next round, since they still didn't know enough about the invader's capabilities, if they initiated round two, who knew how many more lives would be lost, the shinobi agreed with the samurai and soldier generals on that aspect, they would have to wait for the invaders to make the next move, whatever it may be. They kenw that they were allowing the enemy to set the rules and the pace, but what could they do, they had next to no intelligence on the enemy. If information was the key to victory, then they had already lost, and they knew it.

Yuji and the Sakana trio were busy making plans on how they were going to proceed with their part of the invasion, they were given more or less free reign on what to do, even though one of their orders was to turn the land of fire into a sea of fire, they were still free to go about that as they saw fit.

"We should just continue the way we started it, find some kind of rhythm and go with that, lull the defenders into thinking that we're predictable as hell, then when they think they get us, we pound them into the ground," was the suggestion made by Rosuto Naruto.

"I disagree dear husband, I think it would be best if we send out the swiftest of our cavalry to the walls themselves, test the actual defenses, find the weak points, then after they have given their report, we exploit those weaknesses. We'll crack open the chinks in their armor," Rosuto Emiko said.

"I think we could go about using both of those ideas at the same time, don't you agree Yuji?" Musha Toru asked.

"Its possible," Yuji said.

"What is?" Naruto asked.

"How do we go about mixing the ideas?" Emiko asked.

"Simple, we marh on the walls, no need to have our swiftest go out there undefended," Toru stated, "We'll have the infantry take the lead, bringing mages to defend them from the defenders, the archers will take the rear and provide cover fire. Then we will have the infantry contruct siege towers near the walls."

"Yes, then we send in the cats to survey the defense. Once they report back where the walls are weakest we'll have the dragons take care of it, the infantry will scale the stronger points of the walls," Yuji continued.

"Ei, Yuji, I got one request though," Naruto said.

"What is it?" Yuji asked, curious.

"Let me go out first, I wanna test their mettle, I wanna see their resolve. If it is up to my standards we'll go with your plan, but if its not..well.." Naruto answered.

"Absolutely not! We follow the prescribed procedure provided to us by Juushu-sama," Yuji exclaimed.

"Fine, fine, but at least let me test their mettle, see their worth, their resolve," Naruto said.

"Just let 'im go Yuji, if you don't he might just do it anyways," Toru pleaded.

"Yeah Yuji, Naruto-koi is hard to control when he's bored, and we don't have the ramen supply to bribe him this time," Emiko reasoned.

"Fine, Naruto you can go. Just make sure that the plan can still be followed after your done, the war must be prolonged for as long as we can unless we receive the go signal to go all out," Yuji finally relented.

"Good," Naruto said, "Emi, you want anything?"

"Err, bring me a helmet if you can, leave the head though," Emi answered.

"Ok, well see ya," Naruto said just before he allowed himself to be blown into the wind, across the gap between the two armies.

He materialized a few feet beyond the walls. He stared up at the archers on the walls that were pointing their arrow in his direction, they were prepared to fire at a moments notice. He used one of his abilities called charm to catch the attention of all the rest that were within his range. Once they were all looking at him, some of the gayer ones had hearts in their eyes, some of the straighter ones did too. He couldn't help it that he was so beautiful. But enough about that. He appeared before them weaing a beige kimono, brown hakama pants, and wore brown slippers, he also had a red scarf around his shoulders. He had a katana strapped to one hip, and was presently leaning on a naginata that was the length of his body. The people just stared at him, after being affected by the charm ability, the archers were no longer able to hold onto their bows, some that were, were unable to hold onto the arrows instead.

"Yo!" Naruto greeted them.

"..."

"Guess you ain't a talkative lot are ya! Well now that I've seen tha lot 'o ya, I'll be taking my leave now!"

But before leaving Naruto walked up to the wall in front of him and slammed his palm on it, a seal pattern appeared on the wall, it was similar to the seal pattern that appeared when one was summoning a summon animal or something like that, the difference between those seals and the one that appeared on the wall was that it spread out until it covered well over one mile worth of wall in a matter of less than a minute. After which it vanished, and the vanishing act was followed by the sound of a gong that all the defenders heard. This sound surprised the defenders, they thought that it was some sort of signal for the enemy to charge or something, when the archers decided to look back at the spot where Naruto was, they saw that he was no longer there. He had vanished. That was the common thought of the archers near where the epicentre of the seal was. But before anyone could move on their own, one of their number fell off the wall screaming until he hit pay dirt with a thud as well as the sound of bones breaking. When the archers looked to where their comrade was stationed they saw Naruto standing in the archer's place.

"It seems..." Naruto paused, "That the Will of Fire does not burn brightly in any of you."

That was Naruto's observation of the determination of the Hi defenders. It was lacking in its entirety. He knew of their orders, and based his observation on the fact that they let their curiosity get the best of them. Had they attacked him when he first appeared before them, he would have respected them. They would have at that point proven that they were a worthy adversary, and that not all of them were at fault for creatng such monsters as Danzo and Uchiha Madara, who he knew was the true leader of the Akatsuki. He believed that they needed a reminder that they were at war, not some miniscule conflict within their borders. Sure he was aware that they would be playing by the Rosuto armies rules, but to go against orders to satisfy one's curiosity was absurd. He could have wiped them all out and they wouldn't have really cared. They were not worthy of his ire, but they needed to be taught their place. As prosperous and respected the Land of Fire was, apparently they were unable to really protect their borders, they did not appear to have what it takes to keep the title of be ing one of the Fve Greats. Once upon a time, as Naruto studied their history, Hi no Kuni truly was one of the five fiercest nations in all of elemental, they were able to defend their territory without the need to use such things as walls. Those days were long gone, the legends were reserved only for those who lived and fought in times of old. Back in the past before the rest of elemental had convened in a meeting and decided to draw up a map detailing the borders of the countries, it was easy to tell who ruled what and where, the armies that defended the lands were proof enough of ownership. But as the army of fire was as it was today, Naruto did not see or want to acknowledge the Fire Daimyou's right to rule such a large track of land. His army was pathetic, they had lost all the fire that their ancestors were known for. The only ones that probably still had a burning flame within them were the Konoha-nin, but even those flames were few and far between.

Naruto ran the length and bredth of the wall knocking off archers here and there. They were all weak, all of them displayed their fear as clear as day. He could even smell it in the air as he approached some of them. These archers had swords, yet they seemed to have forgotten how to wield them. How could they expect to defend their nation, if they could not even defend themselves. He didn't even bother to use his katana or his naginata, he just pushed people off the wall, knocked them on their backs, or just kicked them to the floor. The line of archers had fallen, and the soldiers on the ramparts and other places lower than where he was running about were looking on in fear, they feared that they would be his next targets. Sure the speed that he was moving was nigh untrackable by the untrained eyes, but he did occassionally appear before some of the braver looking ones in the hope that one of them would dare draw his blade on him, but so far none of them had. Even the shinobi were paralyzed in fear of him, since he was moving at speeds that they imagined only their Yondaime Hokage was able to travel at, minus the yellow flash. When Naruto was done with his patrol of the wall he jumped down to engage the soldiers and shinobi below, to see if anyone among them had it in them to get out of their frightened states and attack him. The shinobi and some of the samurai lashed out at him when he took a strike at them, but it wasn't like they were defending themselves on purpose, it seemed to be more like some kind of reflex, since he could still see the fear and helplessness in their eyes. None of the ones that he expected had the will of fire, or hell just the spirit of fire with them were stationed at the border.

After four hours of single handedly making his way up and down the wall Naruto returned to the first spot where he pushed off an archer. He stood there facing the Land of Fire. The archers around him stared at him with even more fear, since he did not appear to have a single scratch on his body, even his clothing was tear free.

"Pathetic," was the only word that escaped his lips before he vanished before their eyes and travelled on the winds back to camp.

Waiting for him back at camp were the three other generals. Each of them didn't look worried at all, but each of them had grown somewhat impatient.

"Well, seeing as there were no fireworks or anything of that sort in the direction of the walls, I would be correct in my assumption that they were not up to your standards," Toru said once he noticed that Naruto had returned to them.

"Emi, here's your helmet," Naruto said as he tossed a helmet to his wife, "Yea, they were pathetic, not worth the thrashing I had planned on giving them."

"Yuji, the floor is yours," Toru said.

"It's a good thing that I had spread the word two hours ago about our next move," Yuji said before walking off to his Dragon Flights, "You three go rest up or something, I'll send the troops on their way and oversee this round."

After Yuji made sure that all the preparations had been made, he jumped on the back of his personal dragon. Then he and the rest of the dragons took to te skies. Once he saw that all the rest of the army were in position and were ready to march, he gave the signal.

"Round three! FIGHT!" Yuji shouted for all his forces to hear.

After the signal was given the frontliners began their march. The ground shook with each step that the army took. The dragons overhead blew out blasts of fire, to further illuminate the sky. Below, with the marching soldiers, the mages erected their barriers and shields to stop any incoming projectiles from harming the soldiers around them. Taking up the rear were the archers, they provided cover for the troops in the front. The non-stop rain of arrows prevented the wall defenders from actually mounting or even just forming a defense. The constant rain of arrows from the sky was too much for the defenders to handle, they couldn't stand, much more aim and fire their arrows at the enemy.

But even though the archers couldn't do anything but cower, farther back the catapults were being armed and prepared to fire. The officers had been making the troops in charge of the seige machines ready their weapons. Seeing as the archers weren't doing much, the officers ordered the catapults to fire when ready, which they readily did.

The boulders and rocks that were thrown across the battlefield smashed into or just bounced of the barriers and the shields. A barrage of arrow the mages could handle, but someone had forgotten that the defenders had catapults in their arsenal. The mages were hard pressed to keep the barriers and shields up, having to take turns with one another, to make sure that they could regain some of their magic after a boulder would bash into their defense.

Yuji noticing that the mages were having a bit of a power problem ordered the dragons to join in the fight and intercept the rock projectiles. With the dragons joining the battle half of the large flying projectiles were stopped before they could fall back down to the ground and slam into the shields and barriers erected by the mages.

On the Hi side, some of the shinobi got it into their minds that they could help the archers by throwing rocks, shuriken, and kunai at the incoming arrows in order to stop them from harming the archers, and allow the archers to do their job. Which worked, even though some of the arrows made it through the shinobi defense, the archers were able to launch salvo and volleys of their own at the incoming invaders.

Even though the Rosuto soldiers were able to safely make it to their designated places and begin construction of the seige towers, Yuji could clearly see that there was a possibility that half of the soldiers would be cut down where they worked if nothing was done to help the mages in keeping their barriers up. Since they were so near to the walls as it were, the shinobi had decided to help the flying rocks by bombarding the magical defenses with jutsu, like the dragon missiles. For some reason the chakra of the jutsu were able to weaken the magic to such an extent that the mages had to work two at a time, instead of just one at a time in keeping the barriers in place.

Yuji dropped back down to the ground, but not before ordering his dragon to join in the interception of flying rocks. Once back on the ground he made his way over to where he knew the Sakana trio were.

"Naruto, Emiko, Toru, the mages are having problems, wanna go help them out?" Yuji asked the trio.

"Sure, it was getting boring here anyway," Naruto said.

"What he said," Emiko replied.

"I was wondering if you'd ever ask," Toru said.

"Well grab your stuff, so we can kick some shinobi ass," Yuji instructed.

After grabbing all their gear the four generals made their way to the battlefield. Naruto's were the katana strapped to his waist and the ninjato, Emiko's weapon of choice were twin battlefans, Yuji's were claws specifically dragon claws, and Toru's was a whip made out of what looked like barbed wire except more flexible. They each ran toward the walls, their weapons at the ready. When their soldiers saw them they drew strength from their leaders, the mages doubled their efforts, the soldiers worked faster in constructing the seige towers, the archers sped up their rate of fire, and the battlecats ran infront of the the walls, their riders throwing their spears and pikes at the defenders.

The defenders seeing that that one demon that had attacked them earlier return, and with reinforcements, panicked. Sure they didn't let up in their attack, but something in them snapped, they would attack with all they had, not to defend their country, but to try their hardest to survive. The shinobi once again left the safety of the walls and attempted to engage the incoming enemy. These four units were far too fast for the archers, and were also far too fast for the jutsu to hit, they were going to combat them using hand to hand combat.

Chakra powered fists and feet met chakra powered fist, feet, and weapons, the shinobi were being cut down one by one. Sure they had the number, but if fear had forced them into forgetting how to use teamwork, there was no way that they were going to win. When Emiko finally had enough with the weaklings trying to take her out, she jumped away from them and let loose with some Fuuton jutsu using her fans to provide the wind to make her jutsu work. With a wave of her fans she sent gusts of wind at the shinobi that had come to face her. The winds blew some of the shinobi away, and tore gouges in the bodies of the rest, but some managed to erect mud walls to lessen the damage just in time. Once their mud walls were dropped they tried to send some lightning and fire attacks Emiko's way, but she dodged them all and sent back some more cutting winds their way. The second batch of wind that were sent the Konoha-nins way was dodged instead of blocked, they also managed to surround Emiko due to her being preoccupied with her flinging gusts of wind their way. Once she was fully surrounded the shinobi let loose some of their own jutsu, this time some of them were able to hit home which sent her flying, and landing in a heap several feet away. Upon seeing their small victory the morale of the Hi forces rose, if they could take out the other three the battle would be a victory in their favor.

While they were busy celebrating their minor victory they failed to realize that their opponent was not down for the count, she was merely winded and was picking herself back up off of the gound. Her twin fans were attached to her arms via straps which made sure that she never lost them in a fight, while the shinobi were distracted with their minor celebration she unleashed another set of cutting winds their way, ending their lives in mid laugh. After she was sure that they were down for the count, never to see the light of day again, or breathe the fresh air of the world once more, she made haste in search of another group of shinobi that she could cut to ribbons using her deadly winds.

She made her way to a bunch of shinobi that were pounding on a barrier being held in place by four mages, these mages looked like if nothing were done to help them, they would run out of energy to keep the barrier up. Upon reaching the shinobi, she coated her fans with wind natured chakra and sliced up the shinobi with her fans, forgoing the use of jutsu or and wind entirely. Afte making sure that the mages were fine, she went off to the next group of shinobi that were harrassing another group of mages. As she ran some of the archers got it into their mind to try and snipe her, which was a bad thing to do. Upon noticing what the archers were attempting to do she diverted her attention temporarily to the archers and blew cutting winds in the direction of the archers, blowing away not only the arrow that had been let loose, but also blowing the archers off of the wall as well. When she was done with that and sure that the other archers would not follow in the footsteps of their fellows, she returned to her shinobi hunting. Running to another group of shinobi, the one that was harrassing another group of mages, she arrived and decapitated one of them, and sliced off the limbs of another, turning around in place she split the torso of a third from his lower half. The other shinobi jumped away to avoid any further injury and pelted her with fireballs, and a number of kunai and shuriken. All of them missing their mark. Thinking quickly Emiko lashed out at the shinobi that were hurling projectiles at her, she sent gusts of wind which they avoided, she then used the wind to propel her to the nearest shinobi and stabbed him through the heart with one of her fans. Springing away from that position just as one of the shinobi landed where she previously stood, the shinobi was an Akimichi which was obvious due to his use of the spiked meat tank technique. She landed right in front of one of the other nin, this one promptly grabbed her and held her in place, he used chakra to make sure that she could not escape. His allies did not waste any time in attacking her, they did not bother using any jutsu and just rushed her, fists and kunai would have impacted with her body had it not been for the arrival of several of the Rosuto pikemen. These men thought that since they were soldiers they might as well fight, there were more than enough to finish building the seige towers. These men skewered the rushing shinobi, and one even managed to decapitate the nin that had a firm hold on their general.

"Emiko-sama, you may be our general, but even you need help sometime," one of the pikemen said.

"Thanks for the help, help out the others while I do the same," Emiko said before rushing toward another group of shinobi.

"Hai!" was the reply of the pikemen, then they too rushed away in groups in order to subdue or just outright kill any enemy shinobi they could find.

While Emiko was having her fun running around helping the mages, Toru was having a blast, he lit his whip on fire and had it spin around in the air, this action caused a vortex of fire to appear around him as he ran around the battlefield, he incinerated any that were foolish enough to go near him, by the time that he had made his way to the wall, shinobi were not the only ones on the battlefield, there were a number of samurai there as well. Samurai and shinobi were able to use their energies to deliver destructive attacks, they just channeled their energies differently, some of the samurai that Toru had encountered fought in the same manner as Emiko, and sent cutting winds in his direction, the problem was that the wind just made the vortex stronger, the flames hotter, and made it spin faster. Using his own chakra to fuel the vortex, Toru stopped spinning his whip and lashed out at the nearest samurai, the whip wrapped around the man and with a pull cut him into pieces. Cracking the whip produced a sound so loud that some of the samurai in his vicinity found their ears bleeding, others were hit by the wave of fire that leapt off of the whip. Toru ran as near to the wall as he could get, then he spun his whip around again, and then in one motion used his whip to propel the the flaming tornado and made it travel the length of the wall. He then created another flaming tornado and whipped it in the opposite direction. The tower of power was not hot enough to burn through the walls, but it was hot enough to force the archers on the walls to jump off lest they wished to get burned. This bought the mages some time to recover.

Toru believed that Yuji and his sister could handle the battlefield, so he decided to jump up onto the walls and cause some death and destruction on the inside, after all they had no where to go, and one of the best opponents were those that were trapped between a rock and a hard place. Once he made it up on the wall, he noticed several things, one was that there were several arrows speeding towards his direction, two several samurai were heading his way with katanas drawn, and three his whip had gotten caught on a piece of the wall. Thinking quickly he decided to let his whip be for now, and moved to intercept the samurai, he paid the incoming arrow no mind, when he reached the first samurai, he plunged his chakra covered fist through the man's chest, then leapt over him and sent the man behind him crashing to the ground in two pieces thanks to a chakra covered and powered leg drop or heel stomp. Unlodging his fist from the first man's chest, he backfilpped back to his original position and pulled on the whip forcing it to cut through the piece of the wall that it was stuck on, the whip then moved and sent a wave of flame in the direction of the arrows and ended up wrapping itself around the neck of another samurai, quicking pulling the whip, the samurai was decapitated. While still moving the whip, Toru cracked it, which caused the men remaining samurai that were rushing him to fall to their knees, he then curled his whip, and attached it onto his waist in one motion, then he ran toward the remaining samurai and proceeded to kick their chins hard enough to send them flying, but not hard enough to kill them, after all he needed to have some people to fight in the future.

Toru went through the defenders like a hot knife through butter, he was quick, he was flaming hot, and he was a slice away from the seige engines, his hands acting like blades as they were coated in a thin layer of wind chakra. He sliced away at all the opponents that ran at him, killing some, maiming others, and simply leaving others too injured to continue but with some medical attention they would survive and live to fight another day, hopefully against him. Most of the ones that he had been leaving alive were the samurai who valued honor, and were very prideful even though they would never admit it. Toru had a thing for attacking the ego and the pride of his enemy, the lost honor was just too easy to do compared to those two other things. As he finally reached the first catapult, Toru let loose a few cracks of his flaming whip on the thing. He made sure to hit only the contraption and not the people manning it. Once he was done, he turned his attention to the four people manning it, dousing the flames with his chakra, he let loose a few hits on the four men, severing one limb each, the tip of his whip was covered in some healing chakra that made sure to create a stump instead of a gaping blood spewing wound. He then made his way over to the next catapult, on the way he met with much resistance, he cut them down the same way as he did with the still shell shocked catapult personnel. As he reached the second catapult he made minced meat out of it as well, then proceeded to cut off at least one limb off of its operators as well. Then he proceeded to the next and to the next and to the next.

After ridding the wall of a great number of catapults, Toru grew bored and decided to call it a day and head back to base. As he was about to jump up the wall he was abruptly stopped mid jump by a hand that grabbed onto his foot and threw him in the opposite direction of the wall. The hand belonged to a shinobi that stood at an even six feet tall. He had a muscular build, he didn't appear to be built for speed but for strength, he wore the standard Konoha jounin attire and in his other hand he carried a club, one that was as long as he was tall. He had a darker skin tone than most konoha shinobi, and was bald.

"Who in Hela's name are you?" Toru asked the man that threw him, after he regained his balance and footing after crashing into a number of crates, barrels, samurai, and one catapult that was being repaired.

"I care not to know your name, and you should care not to know mine demon, I wish not for your demonic soul to haunt me after I have sent you back to hell."

"What makes you say that I am a demon?"

"You have no honor, and I know for a fact that only a demon would find happiness and glee in ending the lives of many in as cruel a manner as you have in this battle"

"I am no different from you, shinobi, I am no different from you. I am a warrior, yet I care to know your name that when I have sent you to the afterlife, I may pray for you."

"I wont need the prayers of a lying heathen. I am not going to die this day filth, you are, you and those underlings of yours."

"Ignorance or indifference, it matters not to me which one you have chosen, but know this, I, Musha Toru, swear on the blood of all of those that I have sent to the afterlife that you will not leave this battle alive."

"It is the other way around demon, I will walk away, you will not."

"Arrogant to the bitter end eh, well then, have at you!" Toru shouted as he ran at the jounin, his hands alight with wind and fire chakra, the power to slice through nearly anything, and the power to burn nearly anything.

The jounin anticipated the charge, so at the precise moment that he knew Toru would be infront of him he swung his club onto where he knew the general to be, only for him to miss his target by a not so literal mile, more like by a centimeter. Toru knew that he had to borrow a few tactics from his brother-in-law, when facing someone like his opponent one would have to employ as much unpredictability as he could muster. Dodging to the left he struck, only for his hand to hit a fist. Spinning around on one heel he sent a kick aimed for the solar plexus of his opponent only for his opponent to send the club crashing down on his leg. The shinobi then drove an elbow down on Toru's exposed head. This action sent Toru crashing face first into the ground. The jounin then prepared to finish the general off, but was to slow, for in the time it took him to raise his massive club, Toru had somehow jumped back onto his feet, and healed some of his injuries. He then cut the flow of elemental chakra to his hands and uncurled him whip. By the time that the jounin realized that his downed target was not where his elbow left him, he looked around only to see a flaming whip heading in his direction, the aim being not to would, but to wrap around and brutall cut into bloody pieces. A quick analysis of the incoming attack, the jounin poured some chakra into his arm muscles to boost his swing speed and allowed his weapon to be the one to be captured by the flaming whip. With his superior strength he pulled his club in an attempt to pull Toru toward him. This tactic did not work since instead of Toru being pulled, the strength in the pull and the chakra powering the whip caused the club to be sliced into pieces. Realizing that his club would not help him in the fight, the jounin grabbed what little of the whip that was still within his reach, and pulled on that, he did not mind that pain that coursed through his hand and arm, he just pulled. Toru reacted by sending spasms of chakra to the tip that was being held inorder for the hand to be rendered useless, and the whip be let go and allowed to return to him.

Sensing that something was not right, the jounin let go of the whip at the last second, he then jumped back a few feet and flew through a seal set, after having finally remembering that he was a shinobi and not some brawler.

"Doton: Tsuchi Kairou!" the jounin shouted as he slammed his palms on the ground. This caused the earth around Toru to quickly rise up and entomb him in it, but also giving him only one way out.

'_Katon: Ryuuka no Jutus_!' the jounin shouted in his mind as he let out a stream of molten hot fire into the dome that held Toru. The dome would serve as an oven to cook the general.

But since Toru had experienced and come across many things in his long life, he knew that staying still and doing notihng would be the death of him. So while the dome formed around him he dove into the earth utilizing one of the Doton Jutsu that he knew. He surfaced outside the dome just as the jounin had blown out the molten flames. Toru then ran behind the jounin, wrapped the whip around the jounin that had just noticed his presence and garotted the man.

'_What a waste, and I never got to know his name.._' Toru thought to himself as he cleaned his whip using the flames that his chakra could produce.

Yuji was not having a good time, the shinobi that he had to fight on the battlefield were nothing like he had imagined them. He knew, fought, and saw, what shinobi were capable of, there were a few of the hostile sort that had somehow found their way into Rosuto no Kuni, those few had gotten it into their heads to try and kill him. Something about dragons and other such drivel. Well those ones actually stood a chance of beating him, had he not always been in the company of either one of his clansmen or one of his friends. But these insects that dared call him shinobi were nothing like those assassins. These were just glorified brawlers. They only had ninjutsu to their name. Most of which were too flashy to be of any use when trying to be stealthy. Yuji found it disappointing that all that he came across did not pose much of a threat to him. Sure some of them acted in what is known as Konoha's infamous teamwork potential, but still, having shinobi annouce their techniques was a bit stupid. That was a blatant display of idiocy, Yuji would not stand for such, so everytime he heard the name of a jutsu he drove his claws into the shinobi's mouth, killing him or her instantly.

As he was about to just call down the dragons to send down the Apocalypse, he met someone that looked to be worth killing, or at the very least ending the ninja career of. It was a kunoichi that Yuuhi Kurenai, the only difference being that she had spinning windmills in her eyes around her pupil. Her eyes resembled those of the sharingan, the only difference being that they were not tomoe, but three windmill blades spinning freely in each eye.

"And who might you be?" Yuji asked the woman who barred his way.

"If you want to know my name, you should first introduce yourself," the kunoichi said.

"Ahh yes, I apologize for not having reazlied that kunoichi have more brains than the average shinobi. I am Kuraku Yuji, Rosuto no Kuni's Dragon Master."

"Nice to meet you, I am Fuusha Mai, jounin. Shall we?"

"Let's," Yuji said as he bowed.

After the two warriors bowed, Mai began her attack, she didn't move from her spot, instead she thrust her arms forward, from around her the wind instantly picked and fuuma shurikens made out of wind were sent in Yuji's direction. Instead of dodging the attacks, Yuji coated his claws with chakra and sliced through all the shurikens that would have hit him had he done otherwise.

"How'd you know that if you moved my weapons would follow?" Mai asked.

"I've encountered your clan in the past," yuji answered.

Yuji then jumped into the air and surrounded himself with wind chakra of his own which propelled himself in Mai's direction. Controlling the wind around her, Mai formed a couple more fuuma shurikens and deflected Yuji.

"Who of my clan did you fight?" Mai asked once she saw that Yuji was back where he stood when their fight began.

"I battled Fuusha Marui," Yuji answered as he sliced a part several hundred regular sized fuuton shuriken, "although I did not kill him."

"Then who did?" Mai asked as she called down a tornado and directed it in Yuji's direction.

"Rosuto Naruto did!" Yuji shouted while he was flung here and there inside the tornado, he shielded himself from the cutting gale force winds by coating his body in his own whirlwind of chakra.

"Who's he?" Mai asked while she dodged the fireballs that were spat in her direction from the man spinning in her tornado.

"He's that nut job that went on that mini killing spree before round three!" Yuji shouted over the noise that the tornado that he was still in was making, he threw one of his claws at Mai, and controlled its movements with a chakra cable.

"I can believe that," Mai said as she dodged the dragon claws that were tailing her, all the while keeping the tornado alive, and sending fireballs back to the Yuji, hoping to roast him in the tornado, "So what makes you think that you can beat me?"

"My fight with Marui was over a hundred years ago," Yuji said from his place on the ground, the tornado had finally disipated after the chakra cable cut through it, while he controlled his claw to follow Mai.

"Impossible! He only disappeared a decade ago!" Mai said, as she prepared to call down another tornado, her eyes doing all the summoning, while her hands sent out wires of lightning racing across the ground heading for her opponent.

"Rosuto no Kuni is literally the Land of the Lost, most lost people and things end up there, lost in time too," Yuji stated as played hop scotch with the lightning wires.

"So, what are you saying?" Mai said as she dodged a few water bullets that flew in her direction, one of which hit one of her hands, electricuting her slightly, "Are you immortal of something?"

"Well, not immortal per se, just something like that is all," Yuji admitted, all the while throwing mud balls at the slightly spasming Konoha-nin.

"Since, I know you don't plan on killng me, drop off on the wall would you?" Mai asked as she slumped to the ground nearly unconscious.

"Maybe next time, you'll bring some soldier pills, ne?" Yuji said while he kneeled down beside the kunoichi.

"I'll try to, so.." she said before slipping into chakra exhaustion caused bliss.

"We'll finish our fight next time," Yuji said as he picked her up and brought her to the walls.

'_There goes the idea of killing someone worthy, damn the fun of the fight. Damn!_' Yuji thought, since he was unable to kill someone worthy of death by his claws, he had too much fun in the fight, and wanted to experience something like that again.

As the battle was finally drawing to a close, the defending side having more casualties than the invaders. Yuji, Emiko, and Toru called for a full retreat, all the while ordering the builders to drop what they were doing, since it was highly unlikely that the defenders would venture from behind what remained of their walls. The shinobi forces could run out and snatch some part of the yet to be finished seige towers, but there were just too many parts for all of it to be hauled back behind the walls. There was also the possibility that some of the mages had left some traps in case the Hi forces tried their hands at theft.

There were still shinobi on the battlefield while the invaders began their retreat. They were all ordered to just run back as fast as their legs could carry them, and in some cases wings, which is what they did. But in order to insure their safe return to their side of the playing field, Rosuto Naruto decided that it would be fun to play with the other pawn in the little war.

Naruto threw his ninjato and katana unsheathed into the air, he then created two Kage Bushin to grab hold of the two blades and mess up the pursuinig shinobi that were on the battlefield. After those two had bagun their job, Naruto created a hundred more, all of which were primed and ready to engage the pursuing shinobi.

The shinobi were shocked when they found out that the invaders knew one of their kinjutsus, and had enough chakra to use it to such a degree. But that did not convince them that retreating back behind the walls was a good idea. They just continued their path, thinking that they were somehow stronger, not counting all the lives that were lost, but still thinking that they were superior to the invaders, which wasn't true seeing as before Round Three, they were all scared shitless by the one guy that was barring them access from the retreating invaders.

"Konoha-nin, let's dance!" Naruto shouted, along with his clones.

They charged right into the enemy, meeting them head on, fist to fist, foot to foot, elbow to elbow, head to head. The force that fifty of the clones used in their charge was enough to force the Konoha-nin to fly back several feet. The other fifty belched out a few fire dragons, and fireballs, all of which flew at the on rushing Konoha-nin. The Konoha-nin in turn, due to being overexposed to the use of Katon Jutsus were somewhat prepared for the fiery onslaught, they raised up earth walls to defend themselves, some even countered with their own jutsu.

The retreat was swift, and the delaying and distraction tactics employed by Naruto were very effective. The Hi shinobi forces were down two hundred fifty people, they weren't dead, but they wouldn't be able to fight for a long while, say about half a year's worth of bed rest, then around another half a year of living like a civilian, then another year to get back to genin standards, and so on and so forth.

Back at the invaders side, the Rosuto forces were celebrating a well fought battle, there was singing, cheering, eating, and drinking going on all over the camp, and base structure. Even the four generals were celebrating, in their own little ways. Emiko had encountered a few close calls and went to bed earlier than her husband. The three men decided to play Monopoly for a few hours. They decided to allow the defenders some time to rebuild their defenses. Short battles are boring, they wanted there to still be some kind of challenge factor.

"I wonder what kaa-san is fairing up north.." Naruto wondered out loud, Tsukiko was his stepmother, and he really did wonder what went on over on that battlefield.

"They're fine, I'm sure," Yuji said, "Toru, roll the dice already!"

"Hai, hai, hai, patience is a virtue, you don't see Konsou complaining," Toru said referring to the Noufu communications operator that was playing with them.

"Toru-sama, its been ten minutes already, please roll the dice," Konsou said, finally letting his frustration and dwindling patience be known.

"Fine," Toru then rolled the dice, which resulted in his third double roll, "Crap!"

"Haha! See, your luck still sucks!" Naruto said.

"Not everyone's had the chance to be kissed by Benten!" Yuji said.

"So that's not a legend?" Konsou asked.

"What's not a legend?" Toru asked.

"Naruto-sama being kissed by Benten."

"Yeah, its true, imouto kicked forbade him from eating ramen for three weeks after it happened," Toru said.

"How'd it happen anyway? The real story?" Konsou asked curious.

"Naruto?" Yuji said.

"Fine, fine, I made a bet with tou-sama, about who had better luck, to see which of the two of us had better luck, tou-sama proposed that we each kiss a girl of his choosing, whoever gets a worse punishment afterwards is the loser. So tou-san had someone come over to be kissed, little did I know that I had already lost, since apparently tou-san has enough luck to seduce the goddess of luck herself, he'd apparently been sharing his luck with her for years, and well kaa-san had grown used to it, and well Emi-chan hadn't..so..yeah..never doing that again, I tried to trick tou-sama, but underestimating him is a BAAAAAAD idea."

"Didn't think it was like that, I thought that it had something to do with a challenge made by the gods themselves which culminated in having to kiss the goddess of luck to get back some lost luck or something like that," Konsou said.

"Konsou, you think too much, roll already, I wanna get outta jail sometime in the next hour!" Toru said.

"Sure, sure, but I gotta have a little bathroom break, so if you'll excure me for a moment," Konsou said as he left the playing area.

"Noooo! Konsou! Get back here!" Toru shouted, since a part of the game to make it more challenging was that if someoen landed in jail they would be forced to sit in a cramped box until they got out of jail.

"Relax Toru, you've been in there for what, ten times? You should've gotten used to it by the fifth time," Naruto said, while holding himself back from openly bursting out laughing at his friend's predicament.

Yuji had had enough and just burst out chuckling, Naruto couldn't take it and joined in, Emiko woke up from her sleep, saw Toru, and joined in on the laughing.

"I hate you guys," Toru said, just as Konsou returned from his bathroom break.

"What'd I miss?" Konsou asked.

"Nothing, nothing, don't mind them, just roll the dice," Toru said.

"Konsou, your one of his, so just roll the dice before he demotes you or something," Yuji said after calming down a little, "But..maybe a few more minutes of waiting will teach him some patience."

"So not funny Yuji, just roll the dice already Konsou," Toru said.

"Konsou, just roll the dice, its not like letting him out sooner rather than later will threaten your position," Emiko said after assessing her brother's assets.

"Hey Toru, if you stay in there longer, you'll get to keep what little money you still have longer," Naruto said.

"But if you really want out that badly, I'll sell you my get out of jail free card in exchange for Boardwalk," Yuji said.

"Never!" Toru declared.

"I'll roll, if you give me your one red lot," Konsou negotiated.

"..Fine..not like that'll hurt me any, no one lands there anyway," Toru agreed.

After getting out of jail the first spot that Toru landed on was the red lot that he had traded away.

"I hate you," Toru said grumbling, "One of you rigged the dice, I just know it. Naruto, I'm watching you."

"I can't help it, if you have no luck with these kinds of games," Naruto said.

"Onii-chan, just smile, and enjoy the game, its not like you've been in there a lot," Emiko said, since she was not aware that her brother always gets put in jail at least twenty times every time he played monopoly.

"Hmph, fine, fine, lets just play, I still have boardwalk," Toru said.

"Yeah, but I got the other one," Naruto said.

"I really hate you," Toru said.

He was greeted by laughter and giggles.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Reminder: Rosuto Juushu = Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto

**Lost**

**Chapter 24**

A large force was spotted north of the Rice Field border. The stationed Oto Anbu could see a line of ships out on the horizon, a massive army steadily making its way toward the coastline of the country. The Land of Rice Fields was ruled by Orochimaru himself, after receiving information that Hi no Kuni had suffered from mistakes made by some of the Elites in the country, he had disposed of the daimyou of Rice Fields, taking up the mantle for himself.

Having full control of the land, he had access to the military of the somewhat prosperous nation, one could say that military diversity wise he was somewhat on par with Rosuto no Kuni in that regard. His numerous experiments making up a large bulk of his foot soldier forces. The man had a habit of not really giving much importance to lives other than his own. To him all life was expendable, save for his own. He had delusions of granduer, believing in his superority over whatever obstacles would stand in his way. He still had many aces up his sleeves, but did not think that any of them were needed to repel the forces planning on attacking his own country.

He had received some reports from psychics in his employ that attacks against Hi no Kuni had already been launched. The reports told the story of Hi barely holding onto their position as the strongest nation in the continent, they were losing, slowly, and pitifully. The invading forces prooving to be far too much for them to handle. While the fighting did look like it was progressing slowly, that was simply just the tip of the iceberg. The invading Rosuto no Kuni forces were simply battering down the resistance, in a relaxed manner. They were sure of their victory, they fought with the ferocity of true warriors while the defenders simply fought for their home, a home that had been hit hard in its very heart.

Hi was being pummelled on it western borders as well as on its southern border, so Orochimaru decided that it would be a good idea to help the invaders, maybe curry a little favor from them. He would send some of his forces to make minced meat out of the defenders of the northern border of Hi no Kuni. An action which he hoped would place him in the good graces of the invaders, well enough within it to be granted some of the secrets of the Land of the Lost, a land forgotten by history and time, and the rest of the continent.

After reports from his northern border were sent to his office, he immediately sent out orders to his shinobi forces, orders to attacks the Hi no Kuni border. Take no prisoners, and slaughter them all. Incentives were issued out, the more of the Hi forces that were dealt with the more of the helpless members of their families were spared the horrors of experimentation and war. Orochimaru may not know how to value the lives of others, but he knew that others valued the lives fo their loved ones. Unfortunately Orochimaru never really got to understand the concept of having a loved one. His goals were always geared towards the acquisition of power, and all that came with it, including a form of immortality.

The forces that he ordered to be sent to the northern border were made up mostly of the lower ranked shinobi forces as well as the regular soldiers in the country's army. They could be considered simply as the meat shields of the military of the Rice Field nation. They were ordered and sent out to attempt to delay the inevitable from occurring, Orochimaru's standards, as well as any other minor country's standards, for their military was a lot higher than the Five Greats. They had to contend with the might of the Five Greats, which prompted them to have a more quality based training than a mediocre one, like the other larger nations. The truth was that the Five had good quality and the numbers to be great, but the minor lands did not have the numbers, but they more than made up for it in their quality. They were a force to be reckoned with, if they were only given a chance to shine.

The impending invasion of Rice Field would give her warriors the chance to shine. Their mettle even greater than their Greater counter parts. They had more to lose than the larger nations, as they had so little to begin with. The little that they had in possession of, was far greater than the tracks of wealth that the larger nations sometimes chose to squander about. So, they would fight with their all, not holding back in the slightest, as all they had was in danger of vanishing from the face of the world. There was everything to lose, but the future to gain.

Orochimaru's experimentations with the Blood of the Shodaime Hokage were not all failures, there were a select few samples that had been kept in stasis for such an occasion, he only made the first successful creation known to his compatriots in Konoha, but the others he hid away, waiting for a time that their talents would be needed. It would not do to have all of one's pawns go out in battle, all of one's strategies be known, for the world to form counters, and prepare against their use.

Since the Rosuto Navy was still a few miles out at sea, even though their numbers were something not to look forward to facing, Orochimaru deployed his Mokuton users, and had them create a fortified barrier. One that would prove challenging to break through, even for the invading Rosuto forces, whose abilities were still mostly unknown to the Roce Field men and women.

Orochimaru had fifty men and women, and a few more along the way, as well as a few more in reserve. In recent years, the sepentine man had found some ways to make his experiments more of a success, which helped bolster his power. He also had some of his agents steal some technology from countries steeped in advanced technology like Snow, Lightning, and Rain. His forces had some machinery at their disposal, like cannon, and weapon launchers. His genin forces, which were at least chuunin in strength, were equipped not only with their chakra attacks but also with these so called launchers.

From the the Hidden Village known as Hidden Sky, a nation whose technology allowed them to gain the power of flight through the use of chakra had also been stolen by agents of Orochimaru. The man had incorporated their use in the training of the forces of the Land of Rice Field. Most of these things were done while the former ruler was still in power, all of which was in preparation for Orochimaru's bid for international power.

He was a serpent that liked to plan things out. He made sure that he had contingency plans for all the likely events to happen during his lifetime, a life that he believed would span til the end of time. He knew that there would come a time in his future that someone out there in the world would challenge his supremacy. He had planned, and done things in preparation for such a likely event. His planning had apparently pulled off, and he was more than ready to take on the unknown forces of the Land of the Lost.

The flying, or more like gliding, technology would allow the military forces to proceed to have aerial assults on their adversaries. He made sure to send some competent people to lead his armies, having hand picked them himself.

The barrier that the Mokuton users were to create had three levels. As Orochimaru had received word of how the battle at the southern end of Hi no Kuni had gone about, he decided to have his northern border defended in three layers. The first layer being built out at sea, the first wall was to be formed a couple of meters away from the shoreline. Canons were to be mounted on them, and manned by non-shinobi personel. To help defend these soldiers would be the gliders that would provide aerial support.

The second layer of defense was to be set up on the shoreline, right where the sands met the salt water. Another set of canons would be mounted there, once again manned by non-shinobi personel. Their support would be made up of men with launchers as well as a few gliders.

The third defense line, the one before and other manner of defense, before the fighters of a land battle, was another wall, another barrier, one that also would have cannons mounted on it, manned by the same class of personel as the other two walls. But this time there would be a lot more support for the wall. As this third wall was to be considered the more or less last line of defense of the coast.

Orochimaru knew not to underestimate his enemy, just as his former home had underestimated their enemies. So sure of themselves and their daunted power that they had not fallen to many of life's adversities, but when faced with the unknown, they had overestimated their own worth, and underestimated the unknown which resulted in the war that was about to take the known parts of the continent by storm.

As Orochimaru surveyed the running of his country, as well as the denfense preparations, and the attacks that had commenced, Tsukiko, her daughter, and their forces were also preparing for the battles ahead. They too knew not to underestimate the serpent and his armies. They knew what a cornered animal was capable off, which was further enhanced by the cornering something or someone, that was not a mere animal, but a monster of a man. One that was worthy of their attention, but not worthy of a continued existence. The war, the invasion and decimation of Hi no Kuni was the perfect excuse to rid the world of the abomination known as Orochimaru.

The Navy had yet to begin the invasion, as the preparations, as well as all the checks were still incomplete. Even though word had reached them that the signal to start the invasion had been received, they decided to take their time. They had the confidence in their capabilities, as well as their troops abilities, that they would win the battles ahead. They knew that even though they were granting their enemy a longer time to prepare, to better their forces, to become harder to beat. But they also knew that they loved a challenge. They weren't all Juushu, but they were good enough to be assigned the task to eradicating the serpent menace: Orochimaru.

The ships were all lined up, but not in a single line like the one that the Southern navy had formed. These ships were lined up in three layers just as their enemy had chosen to be. The front most line of ships consisted of the speed boats, whose sailors and soldiers concentrated on getting in and out of situations the quickest way possible, while still being able to deal a significant amount of damage. The second row consisted of ships that were slightly slower in speed, but were in charge of dealing the most amount of damage from a rather long range. These ships hosted a number of powerful canons, whose elemental chakra firepower was enough to level a small village with little to no effort. The third and last row of ships, consisted of all the cargo and personel ships, these things contained all the man-power and supplied of the northern attack contingent.

Tsukiko and Yoshiko's flagships were among these ships, it was the biggest one of the lot, as well as housed the main communications department of the navy.

"Preparations are complete Commander," one of the officers that had entered the Commander's cabin reported.

"Assess the field of battle, we still need more information on what we are dealing with," Tsukiko ordered.

"Orochimaru is still one of the unknowns in this war, no matter what information we have been working with, we still need to make sure on what we are dealing with," Yoshiko added.

"Hai!" the officer said as he saluted and left the cabin to send out underwater patrols to see what the defenses were actually like.

The super crocs were mobilized, along with their diver partners, they were then ordered to go as near as they could get, without starting the fighting, to assess the defenses of the country that they were preparing to assult.

The corcs and their partners that were sent out, were given explicit instructions to remain undetected, but even with this warning, they were not aware of all the things that were happening. The aerial support that the navy had was rather limited, the rocs were not to be deployed before the land campaign had commenced. The sensors, and scouts that the navy had at its employ were not perfect. They were unaware that they were being watched from the skies.

Some of the glider units had been sent out to survey the invaders, they were high enough to not be detectable by their enemy, and fortunately for them, they witnessed the deployment of the crocs. Assuming that it was an attacking force, they made their way back to base camp. Travelling faster than the underwater scouts were.

Arriving at their base camp, they informed their superiors of the impending attack force that was being sent to the first wall. The officers reacted by ordering their lesser officers to send out some people that could attack from underwater. Drop some mines into the water, cloaked or hidden under illusions, that would automatically detonate and blast the attacking force out of the water, way before they would reach the wall.

The Oto-nins that were adept at fighting in, on, with water, were sent out with the explosives that would be used as traps to blow away, and up, the invaders long before they would be able to do any damage to the walls. This action would impede the information gathering efforts of the invaders greatly, as not only would the Rosuto forces lose a number of its underwater attack force, but also valuable information that they would have been able to collect had they survived the impending explosions.

The crocs corps were cautious in their approach, knowing that there was a possibility of being found out, or that their enemy had laid some traps for them ahead of time. On their way, they encountered little to no resistance. They were able to swim close enough to survey the walls, and the armaments found on them. But as some of them decided to move closer, some of them were surprised with what they had found. There were some underwater patrols, which they assumed had been there for quite some time, this prompted the scouting force to beat a rapid retreat. But in their hurry they were unable to avoid some of the traps that had been set up in their escape routes.

The explosions overrode some of the conditioning and training that the croc corps had undergone, which caused a significant number of them to panic, and react by swimming into the traps. The apparent plan of the Oto-nins had succeeded and they were able to rid themselves of a considerable number of invader forces.

Once the explosions were seen and heard, and the first sign of bloodshed was witnessed, the Rice Field forces prepared themselves for succeeding attacks, while at the same time deploying a few aerial units to send some death dealing to the enemy forces while they scrambled to assess the situation that they found themselves in.

"What the hell happened out there?" Tsukiko asked her officers, "They were only meant to scout out the defenses, not run into them!"

"Calm down Okaa-sama," Yoshiko said, a little bit frustrated at their first number of casualties.

"We..were able to get some information from the survivors of the scouting party, but not enough to properly form a strategy or plan of attack with," one of the officers said.

"Well..at least we have something to work on," Tsukiko said, "Inform us then."

"The first wall that we have encountered is defended by a number of illusioned and underwater mines, that explode on impact, there are also a number of canons mounted on the wall," one of the officers reported.

"Some of the divers were able to spot what looked like gliders in the air, which possibily means that the enemy is capable of aerial attacks, making them on par with our forces," another officer continued.

"There is also the technology which some of the gliders looked to have in their possession," another officer said.

"What technology would that be captain?" Yoshiko asked.

"Some kind of miniature canon, an artilery launcher if you will," the officer answered.

"So they have a kind of gun..interesting.." Tsukiko commented.

"What are our orders Commanders?" the officers prompted.

"Add at least one mage per speed boat, we need sensors to pick up any abnormalities in the water, as well as another mage to monitor the skies," Tsukiko ordered, "Send in the first wave, with as much speed as possible, I want to lose as little as possible."

"Blow up any detected explosives, have someone on board with firepower to spare to do such actions," Yoshiko said, "We could use their defenses to our advantage, make it seem like some of our forces were annihilated by their traps."

"A slight change in plans, I want three mages per boat, one to detect mines in the water, one to monitor the skies, and one to cover the boats in illisions should the mines be triggered by one of our troops," Tsukiko stated.

"You have your orders, dismissed!" Yoshiko said.

"Hai!" the officers said and departed the cabin.

After being equipped with mages, and some additional firepower, the speed boats were signalled to begin the real initial attack that had been planned by the Commanders of the Northern forces. The boats made their way swiftly towards the first wall. It had to be breached before the second wall could be accessed.

They made their way across the water, cutting across the waves, creating ones of their own. They were machines of true speed, speeding their way towards their targets. Aside from the three mages, each boat had a unit of five soldiers each one with a rocket launcher, the rockets were packed with explosives charged with elemental chakra, the resulting explosion would be able to blow a hole in wall that defended Konoha, not a big hole, but enough shots could bring down a part of the wall.

The boats made their way to the wall as fast as their engines could move them, the mages doing their jobs, some successfully blowing up the mines and covering themselves, preparing for a stealthy attacks. While others weren't as lucky, the mages still being human, were not perfect and in some cases were unable to shield their boats from the mines that they were tasked to find. The mages that monitored the skies were luckier, as they were simply the guide for the pilots of the boats, informing them when a glider was closing in on their position for an attack. The boats had been instructed to focus on the wall, and avoid the gliders and the mines. Unescessary use of ammunition was prohibited.

In that regard there were some boats that were unable to escape their pursuers, they were able to damage the wall, but in turn they were killed in action. Not all of the deployed boats were able to safely make it back to the rest of the navy, some that escaped did not escape unscathed. Damage to the boats was almost unavoidable, and some lives were lost on the way forward and back to the rest of the fleet.

"Report!" Tsukiko said.

"We have unfortunately sustained a heavy number of casualties, fifty seven percent of the the personel that we sent out, are unable to fight, while thirty-five percent have passed on," an officer stated.

"The mages were able to keep damages to the boats to a minimum, but some lost their lives defending their commrades," another officer reported.

"The speed boats are good for getting in some hits, but it seems that the enemy has some intel on our forces, we need a change in tactics," another officer supplied.

"Okaa-sama..?" Yoshiko said, unsure of what her mother was thinking after hearing such reports.

"I want five men to a boat, send them in, one full powered rocket to one launcher, three mages to a boat, one to detect the mines, one to monitor the skies, and one to erect shielding," Tsukiko said after some thought, "One soldier to man the launcher, the target is still the wall, the speed freaks are to control their boats to the best of their abilities, make the hit, and return, one shot per boat."

"Hai!" the officers said.

"Once a boat returns to the fleet, I want them rearmed and sent back into the fray, we need a steady stream of fire hitting that wall," Tsukiko continued, "It doesn't matter where the rocket hits, as long as it hits the wall."

"Hai!" the officers confirmed their understanding.

"After the speed freaks have left the line, send out the second row, I want them to bombard the wall with continuous fire, hit the first wall with everything they've got, I want that wall brought down," Tsukiko said.

"When the second line runs out of fire power, they are further ordered to remain in place, we will send additional supplied to them, but they must remain in place to hold the line," Yoshiko added.

"Hai!"

"You have your orders," the mother and daughter team said, "Dismissed!"

The speed freaks were then deployed, and were harrassed by the gliders, but due to their having shields protecting them casualties were lessened significantly. The defenders were unable to land any more solid hits. The walls stood firm under the ant bite like fire that the speed freaks were employing. No matter what the defenders did, they were unable to do any more damage to the attackers. The mounted cannons commenced firing once they realized that the gliders were no longer doing any more damage. Try as they might, they were unable to even dent the boats that were speeding here and there all across the aquatic battlefield.

They started the battle as the winning side, and ended up defending themselves like mad. The best defense is a great offense, and the defenders no longer able to employ such a tactic. The invaders were starting to do a better job of it.

Then they had to defend against the raining balls of cannon fire coming from the second line of ships. The long ranged artillery doing massive damage to the wall, as well as the morale of the enemy. There wasn't Rice Field officers scrambling to turn the tide back in their favor.

The days went by in slow succession, the tide of battle traded from one side to the other, neither having a firm hold on the title of the winning side. There were hits and misses, but eventually after exhausting half of the supplies, the Rosuto forces were able to shatter the first defensive wall.

Before the ships made their advance, after learning from the error of their first attack, Tsukiko had all the mages erect shields on all the ship, no more scouting parties were needed, or would be sent out, the croc corps had lost too many valuable members as it were.

Once the fleet was substantially protected by shielding, the fleet moved onwards, and inwards. They took the place of the first wall, within striking distance of the second wall.

"Form ranks and fire at will!" Yoshiko shouted over the PA system to all the ships.

Once the ships had all formed ranks, their shields powered to the max, and the shells having been set into the barrels, all ships were ordered to hold their fire, as some of the frontilners noticed that the second wall was evolving.

From a wall simply made with a heavy dose of chakra enforced wood and some sand, the second wall gained an additional shell, this one made of metal, and some rocks here and there.

Orochimaru had deployed another one of his experiments, these people had the power to simply create metal out of the earth around them. The manipulation of the earth was refined enough that they were able to coat the wall in an additional shell, of chakra enforced and enhanced metal.

The gliders were taken out of the skies, and the launchers formed ranks on the wall, ready to overturn any approaching boats by hitting the water underneath with explosive kunai, and other such things.

"Second row, Count of one to six," Tsukiko ordered over the radio, "Every number one power up using fire, two water, three earth, four wind, five lightning, and six neutral."

"Hai," was heard over the radio.

"We need to see the strengths and weaknesses of that wall, do it stat!" Yoshiko added, "One round, one start, ten minute intervals between elements."

"Begin!" the officers could be heard from the ships' radios.

After the number one ships fire their fire elemental chakra powered shells at the wall, there was no visible damage.

"Assessment," Tsukiko called out through the radio to the frontliners.

"Heat levels have simply skyrocketed in the areas hit, rapidly cooling due to the people on the other side," an officer radio'ed in.

The second set of shells were launched and hit the next to the first indentations. The water had a cooling effect, but somehow some of the gunners had added a freezing effect to their shells.

"Assessment," came Tsukiko's voice over the radio.

"Some parts are visibly falling off, the hot and cold areas that are touching are looking to be a little bit fragile," an officer observed.

Then the third round was fired, the reulting damage was simply some deeper indentations on the wall, normal damage was dealt to the wall, nothing more, nothing less.

"Asse.." Tsukiko was cut off.

"What a regular shell would do to any old wall," the officer reported in.

The fourth set of shells sliced cleanly through some parts of the wall, but were sealed up quickly by the metal users inside. The damage could be great, but due to the speed of the repairs, it would be a waste of valuable ammunition.

The fifth set of shells did not visibly affect the metal shell surrounding the wooden wall. But on the wall, some of the Rosuto forces could visibly see that some of the soldiers had been put to sleep due to the electric shock delivered by the lightning enhanced shells.

"Hold fire number sixes!" Tsukiko ordered, "Aim for the areas where the hot and cold touch."

The regular shells hit their targets spot on, the resulting damage were scars on the wall, the inner wooden wall had been exposed for some reason. In those places the metal users were unable to repair the damage as quickly as when the wind powered shells hit.

"Alternate between lightning, fire, water, and regular shells," Tsukiko ordered, "When the wood is exposed some cease the lightning and water on those areas."

"You have your orders commence the attack!" Yoshiko announced.

The bombardment of the second wall lasted for two whole months before the metal shell had been destroyed completely. It was thicker in some places and thinner in others. Behind the thicker places, once exposed were holes already in the wall, there the Rosuto forces found some caches of weaponry, weapons that lost their use when the regular and fire shells hit them. The explosions helped the Rosuto forces, while at the same time caused the metal and wood users to construct defensive barriers behind the exposed areas instead of reinforcing the second wall. The walls behind the second wall were created to hinder that invading froce from moveing further, and causing more damage to the camps behind the second wall.

The destruction of the second wall cost the Rosuto forces one fourth of their supplies in ammunition. While they were able to conserve on food and water due to its abundance in the surrounding waters. Communication transmissions went back and forth between battle areas.

"Kira here, Tsukiko do you read me?" Noufu Kira said from the mirror used by his clansmen, since radios could not reach that far.

"Tsukiko here, what's up Kira?" Tsukiko asked her commrade once her face became clear on Kira's end.

"How goes the battle on your front?" Kira asked, he was performing a survey of all the battle fronts.

"The Rice Field forces were able to set up three barriers, we're at the second one, it seems that the serpent was able to pull a fast one of the world, he's got more firepower than intel suggested," Tsukiko reported.

"I see...Will you be needing some assistance? Juushu-sama is overseeing some bases built, and the like here in the souther front," Kira said.

"We need not resort to such a thing at this time, we're nearly through the second barrier as it is, landing will commence probably within the next month."

"Good to hear, well that's about it, unless you need something."

"We could use some more supplies, everything other than food and water is starting to run low."

"Affirmative, I read you loud and clear, I'll have some sent over to replenish your supplies, but it'll probably get there in about two to three months tops."

"Thats fine," Tsukiko said, "Well I got a battle to oversee, Tokage clan over and out."

"Talk to you later Tokage-dono."

Once the second wall had beem shattered to smitherines, the Rice Field forces knew when to retreat, but they left some of their people, as sacrifices, to hold back the impending landing of the invasion forces. By the time that the supplies arrived for the Rosuto forces, they were still locked out of the land area. Complete landing had yet to commence, but thanks to the arrival of the added ammunition, the boats were able to make short work of the defending forces.

Upon landing the Rosuto forces let loose the dogs of war, or in this case the wolves of war, along with the rocs. Orochimaru had decided to break contact with the northern border trusting them to hold that front, while he joined the Hi border attackers, as he believed that he needed some workout, he enlisted his protege to aid in the fighting down there.

The third and last wall, had no choice but to further fortify themselves, seeing as the last wall, was the last line of defense against the invading army. An army that had already landed, and were busy setting up a campsite of their own. Unloading troops and supplies, while making strategies and plans on how to deal with the last obstacles in their quest of entering the country officially.

The Rosuto forces decided that since the wall was inland somewhat, they would be able to use the cannons on the ships to minimal effect. Which resulted in the decision to use regular shells to add some indentations to the wall.

The wall had received an updrade, it had a double layer of metal, as well as a triple layer of wood. The mounted turrets were littered all over the top of it, with soldiers carrying their launchers on either side of the turrets, ready to fire on any suspicious character that made to even touch the wall.

"New plan," Yoshiko announced to the gathered officers, her mother leaving her in charge of the operation while she saw to the needs of the fleet, "We will be using the rocs to drop some of our people on the other side of the wall."

"What will that accomplish?" an officer questioned.

"By placing our people on that side, they will be vulnerable to attack, they will be looking for a frontal assult not a backstabbing attack from their flank," she supplied, "Once we have confirmation of a commencement of attacks from the inside, we begin scaling the wall. Our new goal is not to destroy the wall, but to get over and into the rest of the country, leaving most of the wall intact."

"What do you mean by most of the wall?" another officer asked.

"Parts of the wall, once we have taken control of it, will be converted into gates that will allow our people to get inside, instead of being used to keep us out, we will use their wall to keep them in."

"We'd be caging them in further," an officer observed.

"Precisely, but once we do get control with the wall, we will await further instructions from command."

"Hai."

The rocs had one rider, but carried in its talons a speed boat that had been converted into a cargo hold, one that would instead of just supplies, would also hold people. Once the boats were filled with people and supplies, the rocs took to the skies, way above the clouds, and over the wall, dropping off their loads, and flying back over the walls to base camp. The boats dropping to the ground with parachutes to make sure that the descent would be slow enough. The rocs flew over at night, to make sure that they and their precious cargo was not found out.

Once the Rosuto forces had made camp on the other side of the wall, they swiftly made preparations for storming the wall. Alongside the people were the wolves, ready to bring the soldiers into the camps near the walls, ready to tear into the flesh, muscles, and bones of the defenders.

They were not armed with launchers or any kind of modern or advanced technology, the soldiers had opted to go in light. They had light weight armor, leather armor mostly, along with blades, bows, and arrows, to be used in the fighting. They all knew how to use them, and they all knew what their objective was. They had their orders, all that remained to be done was to commence the actual attack.

The flank of the defending forces had no sentries, no defence at all to speak of, there weren't any traps either. It seemed that they truly did not expect to be attacked from their flanks, assuming that beyond the vegetation was only rice fields and their homes. But they were wrong.

Stealth was used greatly by the invaders, the wolves were an asset in that regard, as they were predators to the core, they stalked their prey, with s soldier or two on their backs. Silently blending into the shadows of the night, amongst the plants, and the rocks. The sky added some more cover for the invading forces, as the stars and the moon were blocked out by clouds themselves. Dark clouds filled the already dark sky.

As the Rosuto forces moved ever closer to the camps, they noticed something moist land on their faces. It had started to rain. This was something that they could use to their advantage, their enemy would not be expecting an attack in such weather, as not only rain hit them, but winds. A storm had been brewing, and it seemed that it had decided to begin.

The torrential downpour, and the stormy winds, added more cover for the approaching army of invaders. The defenders that were not on the wall were retreating to their shelters in preparation for the continuation of the storm. The winds were strong enough to deter and aerial strike, and they were also strong enough to keep cannon shells at bay, not that the Rosuto forces were planning on using such things in their present course of attack.

Beyong the wall, along the beach, the Rosuto camp knew that the attack on the inside was about to begin. They knew to expect something to occurr, so they prepared their troops, and when all were ready they set off in the direction of the wall, leaving enough people in the camp to look like they were still there in case some scouts were sent out to observe them. Even though the Rosuto forces knew that that was not the case, it was still better to be safe than to be sorry.

Each group stalked the wall camp in the night, slowly yet steadily making their way towards their goal. They prowled in the night, and even in the day, setting up their positions, the dark clouds overhead continuing to pour floodloads of rain, and the winds continued to blow ever stronger. The storm that had appeared had apparently decided to watch the massacre that was sure to take place.

Without anyone out watching the camps, the Rosuto infiltrators rushed into the camp, making their way to the tents. When all of those assigned to the tents were in place, the others, the ones left in the foliage, went about their assigned task. Which was to shake the camp up, sowing a little bit of confusion and chaos into the minds of their enemy.

Explosions rocked the camp, the turrets on the wall were made to face inwards instead of outward, the defenders on the wall, rushed down to see what was happening in the camps. There was a need to know what had occurred. When they arrived, they were met with jaws filled with incisors.

Once the turrets faced inward, the Rosuto forces on outside, the ones that had planned on scaling the wall, began their wall scaling plan. Launching grappling hooks, and pushing up ladders, they made their way onto the walls, killing the turret operators before they were noticed.

They descended from the top of the wall killing all that opposed them in the process, leaving not a single man or woman alive. When the rest of the defenders realized what was happening it was almost too late. But what could they do, they had already been infiltrated. But due to the severity of the consequences of allowing the invaders to continue on to the rest of their beloved country, they decided that even if they were to die, they would be taking a lot of their enemy with them to the afterlife.

The retaliation of the defenders was a vicious one, they knew that they were going to die, so they decided to die fighting. They all entered some kind of berserker state, and just jumped into the fray not caring how much damage they were receiving, all that mattered was that they battered the invading army. They went for suicide attacks, while at the same time taking out a sizeable chunk of the attackers.

When Tsukiko and Yoshiko decided to enter the battle, they used their own blend of teamwork against the defenders. They weaved in and out of battle, taking off heads left and right, with their four Katanas, not bothering slash or simply strike any other part of the bodies of the defenders.

Some of the defenders realized the importance of the two women, as a lot of the invaders were making sure that most of the defenders were unable to really make it difficult for the two women to go about slaughtering the defending forces. These people that noticed that importance of the two women strengthened their resolve to take down as much of the invading army as possible. Their main target were the two women. If even one of them were taken out of commision, then the invaders would lose some morale.

The defenders were somehow able to signal their allies into converging on the pair of women. Attacks growing faster and stronger as each man and woman realized what their targets represented. The Rosuto forces were not too quick to notice the change in the battle atmosphere, until it was too late. The two women were surrounded, their protectors dead around them, and they were surrounded on all sides by the defending army of Rice Field Country.

The two women realizing that they were stranded in the midst of a helluva lot of the defenders defended each other as best as they could, which was saying a lot considering that they were vastly outnumbered. Katanas flashing in the light of the lightning, heads rolled or flew off of shoulders. Still the defenders advanced, brandishing their weapons, and blindly attacking, not caring if they died, all that mattered was that they take they lives of the two women that were fighting for their very lives against the odds.

The Rosuto mages were the last to go over the wall, they were also the last to enter the fray, not finding much opposition, they were also the first ones to notice their commanders being surrounded and assulted by the defending forces. The ones closest in position to their leaders charged up the magic that they held control over, and charged up attacks which they then sent in the direction of their foes, those that would dare try and harm the Rosuto Royal Family.

Some of the other mages notified the rest of the ground forces on what they was occurring, this news made the invaders themselves grow bloodthirsty. When the battle first began they were simply following orders, as well as believing in the cause of their superiors, and rulers. But now, due to the decision of their enemies, they found a reason to become more violent, no one singled out the Royals of Rosuto no Kuni at any time and at any place that a Rosuto citizen was also present in.

The defenders realized too late that their strategy had in some way backfired on the, but even though they knew that their time was almost up, and that they would not be able to really take out a considerable number of their foes, they knew that they still had a chance of crippling their enemy by taking out the two important women that were surrounded by them.

No matter how many heads were separated from bodies, they just kept coming. It was as if the sea had turned into people and had decided to try and swallow them up in the waves, send them underwater, and drown them painfully. Tsukiko and Yoshiko were finding it harder and harder to keep fighting, when they were not allowed any form of rest from the constant attacking and defending that they had to continously peform. They were battling for their life, but such was war, an experience that they had thought that they had long forgotten. It had been roughly one thousand years since they had experienced such a battle. The warriors of this new age did not seem to have what it took to be a match for the war veterans of a thousand years ago. But it seemed like they two women just had the bad luck of finding an entire nest of the beastrs.

They concentrated on defending one another, when one decapitated a soldier, the other defended from any attacks. All four blades moved as one, but they did not know for how much longer they would be able to keep up their attack and defend tandem.

The mages positioned on the wall were doing all they could, but it seemed as if there were just too many defenders converging on that one spot. They may have been concentrated, but he magic died out every twenty people or so, and there were still a few hundred more.

The invaders try as they might could not go any closer to their leaders without losing a limb or a life, each case being a terrible loss to the army, it also greatly lowered morale a lot. The invaders were losing, and they didn't know how long they had been fighting, the storm hadn't let up, and it was chaos.

Left, rght, and center, lives were being lost, on all sides of the conflict. Who knew that the Rice Field troops could be so ferocious in battle. The Oto-nins remembering what they were turned to tide of victory in favor of Rice Field country, when they started using ninjutsu on the invaders. Elemental Jutsu were being flung here and there. Fire and all the rest were being used to down scores upon scores of Rosuto troops.

The mages were being forcefully thinned out, their numbers quickly dwindled with every shinobi that rememebered his or her training. The mages had poor defenses against such attackers, they were long ranged fighters, which was why they stayed away from the close combat fighters, and decided to stick to the wall as much as possible, raining down death from above.

But they did not count on the Oto-nins to remember their training, and employ it in repelling the attackers. The Rosuto forces appeared to be losing, their chancse of winning steadily going down with each mage killed, and each platoon of troops taken out of commission. But the biggest blow was dealt when someone was finally able to pierce the flesh of both the female commanders.

When each woman was struck, it seemed like friend and foe alike knew that the blow had been dealt. As each woman fell to the ground, their strength finally leaving them, everyone felt it. The feeling coursing through them lasted for but a moment, but to the Rosuto forces, it seemed to last for nearly an eternity. All of the Rosuto forces visible turned to the direction where the two strongest fighters amongst them fell to the ground, for all intent and purposes dead to the world.

They did not know what to do, their apparent distraction and loss of will to fight, encouraged the defenders to attack, gathering strength from the apparent weakness and unwillingness to fight of the invaders. The mages started to power down, and all the invaders seemed to lose the will to go on. They had failed their commanders, they had failed their country, they had failed themselves.

The defenders that had converged around the two women had spread out to take out the rest of the invading force, believing that the two women were down for the count, that they were no longer a threat, that they were no longer alive, and if they were the attacks on their persons, as well as the stress and the fatigue of the battle were far too much of a strain for them to handle, and that if the blow hadn't already killed them, they would die due to everything else instead.

The storm above the battlefield grew more intense after blows that downed the two women were dealt, none of the two forces noticed it. The defenders were too empowered by such an actions that they were too busy butchering defenseless Rosuto troops to notice the anger that emanated from the storm that presided overhead. The Rosuto forces were in turn too busy in their lack of life, in their loss of the will to fight to notice the monster that was looming overhead, they were also too busy dying to notice anything else, but the feeling of the blows that their side had received.

No one of the battlefield noticed the intensification of the storm overhead. Lightning and thunder clashed against one another. The lightning gaining a seemingly life of their own, visibly doing battle with the thunder that also seemed to have gained a life of their own. The storm clouds grew ever darkers, the rain growing more and more by each passing moment. It was as if the oceans of the world were pouring down on the battlefield. The winds from simply being strong were gaining power and intensity, in some part around the battlefield tornadoes began to form and touch down on the ground.

Following the intensification of the storm, the earth beneath the feet of the two opposing forces began to tremble, at first weak but as each moment passed, grew in intensity. In some places, under the wall even, some cracks began to form. The earth began to split beneath everyone's feet. Something was splitting the earth apart.

From the cracks in the earth, putrid gas began to seep out, this was the only time that both sides noticed that something was indeed wrong. Some of the defenders that were able to breathe in the gas immediately succumbed to their effects, which was instant death. Their lives instantly drained from them, their essenses flowing out of their bodies to join the countless others that had died in the months that had passed since the declaration of war.

But when any of the Rosuto troops inhaled the gas, none of them succumbed to the same fate as the defending forces. Instead, they were revitalized somewhat, which allowed some of them to make their way towards the downed forms of their commanders. Those that were able to make their way close enough to check for a pulse, were able to find one, a pulse that is. Their leaders were alive, information which they announced to their commrades, which made morale rise.

But the battle did not commence anew, the Rosuto forces knew that they had won, they also knew that the defenders were as good as dead. For even though they were unable to defend their commanders, someone else had arrived just in time to do such protecting.

After the gas had taken more than three fourths of the lives of the Rice Field defenders, molten rock started to seep out of the cracks, boiling, burning, and consuming all in its path, taking bodies of the fallen into its eembrace, forever to be consumed, and made to fuel the fires of the world.

The remaining forces of Rice Field were gathered up by the Rosuto troops, as if compelled by some otherworldly force to do so, which in a way it was. The elements that had gone crazy, and chaotic over and under the battlefield converged on one spot, they coelaced and began to take shape, to form something that looked human. Then when all the elements had taken a solidified form, the heavens could be seen overhead. The winds were calm, and the cracks in the earth were filled. The stars shown brightly in the night sky, and a vision on the moon smiled.

The solidified visage, the solidified figure, the being that had risen from the combination of all the elements present had been formed right in front of the two unconscious forms of the mother and daughter pair. Rosuto Juushu was on the scene, and he did not look pleased.

"I hope that next time, I will not have to intervene in such a battle, my wife and step-daughter are not so weak as to fall prey to such a meager attack," Juushu scolded his troops, especially with the tone his voice took, "They cannot be killed so easily, and you men and women of Rosuto no Kuni are no so weak yourselves that you would really lose to such a pathetic bunch of insects."

"We...its just that..well...they seemed to be so invincible...seeing them fall...it was like a crushing blow.." one of the soldiers said.

"I know, but instead of wallowing in the self pity and disappointment, you should have used the experience to strengthen yourselves, not stand around idly by, and allowed your allies to fall defenseless at the blade of your attackers."

"Forgive us, Rosuto-sama," the soldiers more or less all said, their heads bowed in shame.

"Forgiven," Juushu said, "Tend to the wounded, and one of you remind them that they are not as immortal as I."

"Hai, Rosuto-sama."

Juushu then turned away from his forces and faced the remaining members of the defenders, these people that were at the moment trembling in their boots, shaking in fear and of fright. They did not know what fate awaited them, as the gaze of a monster landed on them all. It was as if a whole world's worth of people and power were gazing down on them disappointed at them, and seeing their worth plummet down to negative infinity. They knew then and there that there was no hope for redemption, that there was absolutely no way in heaven, purgatory, the crossworlds, or hell, that they would be leaving the battlefield alive. They knew that leaving the battlefield was the only option that they had, and that no matter what, they would have to take it, no matter what other choices they wished to have. The only question that remained was that if they would be able to actually pass on, or if their very souls would be burned by the being of fury and contempt that was staring right at them, his gaze not only lingering, but boring a hole through their very souls.

Rosuto Juushu was not happy to find out that his wife and step-daughter could have been mortally wounded, had he not given them a significant portion of his luck. He was not delighted to see their unconscious bodies lying on the muddy ground. The ground which had been flooded by the tears of the heavens, and the blood of the children of the earth. There was nothing good about seeing his own wife almost face down on the ground, and those that were committed to defending her were doing nothing but looking on, looking completely lost. But now that he was faced with some of the people responsible for her state of being, now that they were about to die out of fear, he did not know how to properly proceed.

So instead of exacting revenge in a manner befitting his station, he decided that he would simply feed them to the wolves, allowing only their heads to be able to move, while the rest of their bodies were paralized.

"Enjoy your meal, my direwolves, by not halting in your attack, you have earned this reward," Juushu said calling out to the wolves, "Leave not a bone intact, or left, the only remnants of their corpses that I want to be left are anything that comes out of your asses."

As Juushu walked away he could hear the screams of men and women, crying out in the night, calling out for help, receiving none, and ultimately giving into the cold embrace of the shinigami. Juushu simply walked away, and was blown away into dust by the wind, carrying him back to the south of Hi no Kuni.

After Juushu left, and the two commanders were laid down on a bed, the wall was secured, and gates were forcefully formed into it. The supplies were brought in, along with the rest of the troops that were left outside.

The plan of attack was being formed by the officers that remained, the invading force was fewer in number, but they were still strong. They had their resolve, they would destroy the serpent that saw himself as a god, that saw himself as an immortal, one that cared not for the lives of others. There was still some land ahead of them, a few innocents that need not be pulled into the war. They needed a plan of action.

Having enough scouts to scour the land, the officers decided to send a few of them out to survey the land, and to see how to proceed, if there were any bases or the like scattered around the land. Intelligence reports gathered said that Orochimaru had a fondness for not keeping all of his things in one place at the same time, having his things separated, and spread out in order for not all the things to be compromised. The officers of the Rosuto army needed to know where the locations were, and what they held, as well as locations of innocents, or those worth saving. Then there was the number of troops at the Land of Rice Field's daimyou's disposal. There was an innumerable number of things that were needed to be known. Due to the number of unknowns encountered in the entry battles, the officers decided to utilize more caution. Intelligence was half the battle as it were, and they wanted to win.

It took a few weeks for the scouts to return with whatever intelligence they were able to gather. There were nine bases scattered around the countryside, three of which help prisoners, which was another way of saying experiments or future experiments, test subjects and the like. The other bases held the Oto-nins that were in reserve, as well as some facilities that varied depending on the base. The scouts were also able to find an actual Otogakure no Sato. Orochimaru was apparently one who constantly strived and sought out knowledge, this proved to be an asset to his people as there was a great library in the city-like hidden village. There was a populace to match the size of the village, but there were no fighters in it. It seemed as if all the fighters were in two places, the first place was the northern border, or what was left of it that could still be deemed to be under the direct control of Rice Field. The other half, or more like third, of the Rice Field fighters were battling it out with the Northern Hi no Kuni defenders.

All of Orochimaru's finest were at the southren parts of Rice Field, they were battling it out with Hi no Kuni, killing, maiming, and simply destroying all that could be destroyed over there. One of the scouts went so far as to swear that that was where Orochimaru had holed himself in. The battle between Rice Fields and Fire was being fought personally by Orochimaru and his strongest forces, one of whom was Uchiha Sasuke.

The Land of Rice Fields truly was a land filled with rice fields, there were a number of patties almost in every place in the country. Rice was a staple food in the country, and there were clearly a lot of people that were sustained by the production of rice.

The officers decided that for once they needed their enemies to remain strong, so they would not be sabotagin the food source of the nation, and would be avoiding the patties as much as possible, along with the civilians that had really nothing to do with the monstrosity that is Orochimaru.

The army had to be divided, there was just not enough diversity to come up with a more complex and workable attack plan, a more staged or layered battle plan. The officers had come up with plans revolving around dividing the remainder of the army into nine groups, each group would be incharge of relieving Orochimaru of his bases of operations. The Hidden Village would also be relieved, but not after the bases. Military strength of a madman came first before anything else, including texts of knowledge.

Each group was given an equal number of human troops, rocs, crocs, wolves, and everything else. The officers divided themselves amongst the groups, leaving a few to remain by the wall. Their commanders had yet to get back to fully healed condition, apparently the fighting had worn them out far too much.

Due to the battles that they had so far faced, the Rosuto contingent had gained much experience, they were now more adept at fighting in a relatively unknown land. Their officers had given then the duty of infiltrating the known bases of operation of Orochimaru's faction. Once inside they were to salvage any salvageable materials, resources, information, and people that they could find. Should nothing come up that would be of use to them, or should no one be found that should be allowed to live, the soldiers were tasked with the eradication and destruction of all else that lay within.

As much as possible all the troops were to come out of the exercise alive and well, complete with all body parts, and mental functions. They were permitted to expend all their available resources, but only if nescessary. They were given their time limits, within which they would operate and obtain their objectives. There was nothing left stopping them from moving forward.

Once all of the bases had been infiltrated and all the nine groups had succeeded in their dealings, they were to meet up at the Hidden Village, and assess the situation, and see if the village was worth attacking or not. For all intents and purposes that village could be a home of neutrals, such a side, while not needed in a war, did not need to be attacked, but rather needed to be watched. Should there be any that did not wish to join the fighting whatsoever, or those that did not deserve to be caught in the fray, they were going to be extracted similar in fashion to what had occurred in Konoha.

The first group made it safely to the first base that was assigned. It was hidden underground, which unlike the country's hidden village, really was hidden. Infiltration was easy as anything easy, there were no defenses, there were no traps, there was nothing special about the base at all. When the rest of the troops made their way into it, they noticed something strange. For a base of operations it was rather empty, even the mages thought that it was barren, and they scanned the place for anything hidden or not, and yet nothing was found.

But there were some signs of equipment and the like having previously being housed in the base, but there was also evidence that it had recently been moved out. The initial reports about each base was that they had something of value to the highest higher up in the land, as there were some people seen moving around, and going in and out of the facility. But by the looks of things they were moving things out, one sealing scroll at a time.

Due to the emptiness of the base, they decided to simply blow it up, its value skyrocketting downward at every turn. They found absolutely nothing inside of the hidden facility that was of use to them. So the mages and some soldiers set up their explosives in places that would bring the house down more efficiently than simply dropping them all in one place. When all preparations were complete, they left the base and moved a few meters away from the mouth.

If there was one thing these soldiers was, it was mortal, being such they were relatively imperfect as opposed to those that had gained some form of enlightenment. Due to their previous battles one would think that they would have exercised more caution, and made sure to always be on high alert in enemy territory. But like many mortals, their faults had a tendency to bite them in their rears when they least expected it.

They may have checked for traps within the hidden facility, but they had failed to check for traps in the surrounding area. Traps that would detonate or activate once the facility had been breached by unauthorized persons. The soldiers didn't know what hit them, as they watched the underground base get blown sky high, they too experienced a similar event.

There were ambushed as they were celebrating their victory, small as it were. They were swiftly assulted by creatures that they did not expect to have the ability to move at the speeds that they were moving. Sure the Land of Rice Fields was one of the nations that held within its borders an abundant diversity of shinobi, chakra users, and the like for even her samurai had the ability to manipulate this latent energy to a degree.

The monsters that sprung out of the ground were made entirely of stone, powered by crystalized chakra placed deep within their chests, they were human in appearance, or they would have looked the part had they not been made entirely of what they were made of. Where eyes should have been there was nothing, simply blackness, but the Rosuto forces knew one thing, then and there, it was time to fight for their lives.

The main attackers and defense of the the group were the mages with their vast knowledge on manipulating the elements to doing their bidding. These golems of stone were no match for the conventional weapons that the soldiers were armed with, and there was not enough space for their avian comrades to help crush the constructs, without harming one of their own in the process.

Aside from the mages, the crocs were able to be of some help as they bashed away the golems with a swing of their mighty tails. But still it was not enough to even shatter the golems. Trial and error would not work in this situation as it was one beyond their limited ability and control. They simply had to keep fighting until someone figured out a plan of action.

The mages with their love for logic had forgotten the other aspect of their craft which was the use of their imaginations, the use of the power of creation. Creativity was one of the reasons why magic was more powerful than conventional weaponry, as it did not nescessarily have to conform to the definitions and structures that had been formed through the centuries. Belief is a powerful thing, coupled with imagination, and magic, there was a lot of things that could be done. But these battle hardened mages had no time to dwell on such things, they simply stuck to what they knew, that the earthen element had a weakness, and they were using it to no advantage.

"If the usual wont work why not usea neutral!" one of the soldiers shouted to the nearest mages before having to roll out of the way of a descending fist.

Teleporting out of the way a mage that heard the suggestion decided that if direct assults on their beings was not doing much othere than slow them down, then the indirect approach might prove useful. The mage from high above a golem, standing on a platform of air levitated a nearby boulder and had it drop on top of the golem. The result was that cracks were visibly forming along some part of the golem's head, which was the most damage any of the fifty of the lot that were attacking had sustained. The Rosuto forces were able to not lose a member of their unit so far and due to the most recent success, they were able to do a bit more than just run and dodge.

Once the other mages witnessed what had happened they decided to follow suit with a similar mode of attack. Half of them recalling that they had the ability to teleport not only themselves, but also other things and people, got their people out of the way and placed them on the backs of the rocs in the air. The crocs need not be protected as they were doing fine as they were. The wolves were boosted in their speed and were made to run as fast as they could away from the following golems.

With all friendlies out of the way, the mages dropped chunks of the base that they had just blown up on the golems. Being larger in size, the sizeable chunk did more than just crack the hardened shells of the attacking golems.

Then there were those few mages that remembered their training, their lessons in gravity manipulation. Using this knowledge they held the golems in place. While some others either dropped chunks of debris on the unsuspecting golems, or forcibly crushed them with pressure, air pressure and the like, until all that was left were dust particles.

Once the fighting had ended, the troops were rewarded by the sight of the crystalized chakra that powered the golems, they had found something of note. Collecting all the pieces, and due to the battle and brutality of the golems, they discovered that there were some defective ones still hidden underground, there were even some that had stopped half way out of the ground. Fortunately for the invaders, these others had not activated properly, had they joined the fray, the Rosuto forces would have to deal with a lot more things, and would have probably lost more lives in the process of escape. The golems only looked human, but they were huge monstrosities, had there been more than a hundred of the things running around, then the Rosuto forces were sure to not have the ability to even fight back.

While the first group made their way to the designated meeting point, the second group were busy having the time of their lives as well. Their base happened to be full of inmates, meaning that their target was none other than a prison. The prisoners being people that were against Orochimaru, the former daimyou, test subjects, some failed test subjects, pathetic experiments, and simply people that had yet to be used by Orochimaru in any way at all. The local guard was the best find that they could encounter in the whole facility, not only was she against Orochimaru, but she was also a sensor, a chakra sensor, one with the ability to track people down with by the flow of their chakra, that and help others regain their lost chakra.

The Noufu assigned to their group had received some information from the first group, the second group had arrived just after the first group had leftthe site of their target. As the second group was still in their planning stage, and had yet to move to engage, or whatever they decided to call it, their target they were able to send out some of the troops to survey the surrounding area for any traps of any kind. It was truly a better safe than sorry strategy.

After a weeks of searching, scanning, and scouring the surrounding area, no one was able to find anything that was in any way truly hostile or would be a danger to the Rosuto group. As they knew that the base was a prison facility, they sent in the wolves to assess the inside, accompanying them would be some of the Noufu, so that there would be some form of communication between the infltration squad and the outside troops.

Getting in was easy, hiding in plain sight was also easy, the infiltrators took note of the number of cells that they had found, the number of rooms that there were, and the number of prisoners that could be seen still alive in the place. There were so many of them, not all of them looked anywhere near being worthy of staying in such a hell hole.

They knew that sooner or later they would be found out, but that was the reason why only the Noufu were sent to go with the expeditionary force of direwolves. After a few hours one of the teams was found out. An alarm was sounded and some of the prisoners were given the choice of fighting the intruders or simply dying. The warden was still under the impression that Orochimaru would be coming to see how things were doing, she was not aware of the intentions of the intruders, and the prisoners, the ones that were let out of their cells, couldn't care less as the only thing on their mind was survival.

"Noufu Yamada here, we need back up, we've been found, the wolves are holding out as good as they can, but even the wolves big as they are wont be able to last much longer," the communications guy of the spotted team reported to the troops outside.

The troops reacted instantly to the report, gathering their armaments they rushed into the facility, armed to the teeth with paralyzing substances and weapons. They were going in for the kill, not literally as they needed the people to talk and to chose a side. Rosuto or death. They struck the first blow, neutrality was no longer an option.

As they entered the building they simply began their attack once they found a target. Grabbing onto a wolf some of the soldiers were able to move a whole lot faster, and hit more prisoners than they would have been able to while running on foot. The Noufu members coordinated with one another leading the second wave of Rosuto troops around the base.

When all was said and done, the Rosuto forces had captured all of the prisoners, and had brought them out into the world, where they summarily tied them all up into bunches, and waited for whatever concoctions they used on them to wear out.

Then once people started waking up, and regaining the use of their bodily functions, they were fed some real food, and the like, they were brought back to near peak condition with the aid of the mages and the medics in the group. They needed to be sane, coherent and able to make decisions that they would stick with. As those would determine whether they lived or they died.

It took around two weeks for all the prisoners along with their warden to get back into some manner of what could be considered as good shape. Some had to be slapped awake for some reason, but all in all they were all awake and ready to make the decision that would either let them live or kill them, or both depending on future actions and choices.

"We are members of the Rosuto no Kuni army, and you lot have a choice to make," the officer of the unit spoke out clearly, "Either chose to join our ranks or join Orochimaru or Hi no Kuni."

"To clarify the difference between the two choices is this," another officer decided to elaborate or explain, "Either you join us in our quest for the destruction of Orochimaru and the further humiliation and possible destruction of Hi no Kuni, or join one of those two and well I'm sure a number of you get the picture."

"We die either way!" one of the prisoners shouted.

"You're just going to use us!" another one shouted.

"Either side is a fight waiting to happen!"

"What kind of choice is that!?"

"Choice? I see what you're trying to do, you want us to either serve you, remain prisoners or die!" one analytical prisoner stated.

"At least we're letting you chose whether or not to join us," one of the Rosuto solders said.

"Letting us? Letting us? You are forcing us in making our decision," one of the prisoners said.

"Fine, you want to think of it that way then you can just.." one of the soldiers whose patience was growing thin was interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"Incoming transmission from the Southern front!" Noufu Iro called out, all attention being directed at him.

"This is Noufu Kira, the Southern front is ours, I repeat the Southern front is ours! Hi has lost a fourth of its sum total of power!"

Cheers met the proclamation, some of the soldiers lost their impatience and simply cheered due to the victory of the forces led by their daimyou himself.

"Second, Konoha has fallen, but there is still some resistance left within, get in here!" Kira stated, "The western front is still at it, and the eastern movement has yet to land."

"What?!" one of the soldiers said, "What about the Northern border? Any word on that part?"

"Hi is losing ground, while Orochimaru is gaining, you guys better get there fast before the snake-man makes it to the Root of the problem before Rosuto-sama does!"

"We're still making some last minute decision making over here," one of the officers said.

"Well move it, just get to at least the border," Kira said, then asked, "Do you lot know how the Tokages are fairing? I've contacted the other groups and there is no word, base camp is out of range for some reason."

"Last we heard base camp was moving south, silence is the word, no need to be spotted, they're moving slowly in plain sight," the officer incharge informed the elder.

"Well as soon as you know of their condition contact us over here," Kira commanded, "Southern front over and out."

Once the transmission ended the Rosuto troops faced the prisoners once again.

"We'll make it easier," one of the soldiers said, "Join up with us, and in the future gain the possibility of simply walking away once the fighting ends, or join our enemies and see where that takes you."

"So its join up or die?"

"Either way we lose.."

"If you chose to join Orochimaru or Hi no Kuni, we will permit you to do so, but while you are still not committed to their side, but while you are still in the position that you in right now, no harm shall befall any of you, had we wanted to we could have just blown up the prison and killed all of you," the officer incharge informed the group of prisoners.

More than half of the prisoners decided to join the Rosuto forces including the warden, they were better off with people that had actually helped them get back on their feet in a way, than join the army of a madman that cared not for their wellbeing, or a country that did not bother to rescue them from their hell. These men and women that chose life were give some more comfortable clothes as well as some weapons to use in battle, as well as the standard first aid kit.

These new recruits were led away in the direction of the Hidden Village, while the wolves were left with those that had chosen the other side.

"I'll be unbinding you, as you have now chosen the side you wish to be on, it was your choice, once your bindings are removed you are free to go to your new masters," a lone mage in the area said, the wolves hidden in the shadows awaiting their turn, "When the binds have fallen you will be the enemies of Rosuto, be happy with your choice."

After the mage left them, the bindings did not come off, some of them believed that they were being left for dead, and while some of the shinobi sensed for the lone mage, and found that he was walking away and catching up with the rest of their unit.

"Looks like those soldiers really aren't going to come after us," one of the shinobi said, "I can't sense any hidden humans around."

"I can't either, but do you think we've been left to die here?" another asked.

"Probably, but that one guy said.." another said, but didn't get to finish his statement as the ties that bound them came off.

"Well what do you know, we're free to go, its not our war, we get to go our own way now."

Before any one else could say anything, they heard growls coming from the shadows around them. Soon the growls were accompanied by yellow eyes in the darkness, and since it was already dark, night had already set, there was no way for them to tell what was making that sound. They were so focused on the humans, that they failed to notice the wolves that were members of the army, they were not soldiers, but they were still Rosuto citizens. The promise was that they would be treated as the enemy, yet no harm would befall them as long as they remained tied.

Once freed from bondage they were free to go where they wished. But who said that life was fair, and that such things were easy. It was like learning how to run, first one had to learn how to roll before anything else. There were many steps, there were many obstacles in the way of progress. These former prisoners simply had to get away from the horse sized wolves that were prowling the night, waiting for the perfect chance to strike.

Some of the former prisoners decided that they were better off without the rest of the group, so they ran into the darkness, never to be heard from again. While some others decided to run back into the familiar surroundings of the prison, a place which would soon become their final resting places. While a bunch of them decided that there was safety in numbers and just stayed together in a group.

The growls suddenly stopped, the night grew silent, not a single sound could be heard, not even a cricket. None of the humans knew what to expect as they knew that in any area with a lot of vegetation is was unusual to find such a quiet place.

An explosion lit up the night sky, and the shockwave forced the people to drop to the ground, the explosion came from behind them, where once there was a prison, now there was nothing, the whole underground had come crashing down on all of those that had chosen to stay inside. Then the first blood curdling scream was heard, echoing in the dakrness, followed by another, and another. The final straw was when an arm fell from the sky all bloodied in the place that it had been separated from its body. It fell on the head of one of the grouped prisoners, it didn't fall down hard, but it fell, the person was knocked on his or her back, feeling around, the person grapsed the arm, and brought it to eye level, realizing what it was, as well as finally getting what kind of predicament they were in, the former prisoner screamed.

Upon hearing the scream come from within the group of people, the wolves rushed out of their hiding places and ripped into the grouped humans, tearing limb from limb, shattering and breaking bones. Blood flew everywhere, covering the ground in a crimson sheet, and the air being permeated by the stench of blood, gore, and death.

The rocs high above like vultures waiting for their turn, and at the same time like other birds of prey swooping down and taking apart those that had chosen to run. There were a few crocs waiting for some runners to try and cross nearby rivers, catching those that dared with their jaws, clamping down, and halving the humans even before a scream could escape them.

Once daybreak hit nothing was left in the area, there was absolutely no trace of anyone having died there. The shadows did another cleaning job, they swallowed up any of the remains that the beasts were unable to digest, every evidence of their having been there had been swallowed up by the shadows right before dawn arrived. They also had the pleasure of sending all the beasts back to their respective units, clean of any organic matter that did not belong to them.

The third group found a base, though not underground, it was situated as a village that posed as a bunch of farms. The technology that Orochimaru had been studying there was mostly about food, ingestible material that could prove problematic to people when swallowed. So, not food exactly, more like slow acting, and nigh undetectable poisoning. Food poisoning, the man was a snake, snake venom normally came from a bite which is done with a mouth. The snake man decided that he would be using the mouths of people, their hunger against them. His studies figured out how to make the poison do what he wanted it to do, what he didn't figure out was how to make people need the extra food. The snake man did not need to further survey the study as he had his lesser henchmen do the studies for him.

The initial intelligence that the scouts had provided stated that the village scientists had found a way around the making people starve first problem, they had found a way to spread the poisoning. Problem was that it worked so well, that they had managed to infect every living breathing entity in and around the village, excluding rats, insects, and any kind of bird.

More recent intelligence reports made by roc riders brought to light were that the village was no longer salvageable. It was the safety of the world at stake, and the third group was unlucky enough to be the ones that would save the world.

They needed advice, therefore they contacted the main force.

"Oto invasion group three, Southern front do you read me?" a Noufu clansman called over the mirror.

"I read you loud and clear, what's your situation?" another of the same clan answered.

"Base three infected with deadly disease, in need of strategy guidance in dealing with a poisonous zombie population boom, humans and any land animal, save for rats and insects."

"I'll patch you through to the Science Academy."

After several transfers from mirror to mirror, the third group of the Rice Field front were finally connected to the Science Academy.

"Rosuto no Kuni Science Academy how can we help you?" Noufu Yori, one of the few female scientists that were of the Noufu clan, specializing in science and science fiction, rather than communication, human resource and development.

"Yori, its Tem, third group in the Oto invasion, we've got a Resident Evil scenario, what would you suggest?" Noufu Tem said, his sister Yori was on the other end.

"Seriously? An RE scenario?"

"Just get us something to do, I'm not the scifi addict in the family."

"Fine, fine, I'll see what I can do, get an update of the situation."

While the third group waited, they sent out some aerial scouts to assess the present situation, see how the area was faring, as well as how much of it would have to be razed to the ground. The rocs flew over the area, and what they found was worse than what they had originally found during their first run through.

The disease had spread, and the poison spread had evolved and spread, changed, and upgraded into something far worse. Whatever the original protocol the poison followed to spread would remain unknown to the unit, as they did not really care about that, they weren't doctors, they weren't planning on treating it, they planned on destroying it.

The plants were infected, and some of them had begun to mutate. The roc riders had found a few plants that had grown larger, spewing gas at anything that passed within spewing distance from them.

After finding nothing else new, like birds spreading the disease, the roc riders decided to return to the base, which was a few hundred feet above sea level. The information was immediately passed on to the communications guys, specifically Tem.

"Yori! New situation!" Tem called out through the mirror.

"What is it? I was about to piece together something that you could do," Yori said.

"Mutated plants, and a greater spread, plus a new way of spread," Tem said.

"Whatever, it doesn't really matter," Yori said.

"So...?"

"Napalm the place, the entire area, nuke it, raze it to the ground, scorch the earth, then salt it," Yori said.

"So..you want us to make the entire place a dead zone?" Tem asked.

"Pretty much," Yori said, "But make sure that the mages put up protective shielding, have them use their imagination, it wouldn't do for you lot to have to be roasted due to negligence."

"Got it! Group three over and out," Tem said.

After the mages put up the shields, and scanned for any infected nearby, the unit split up into smaller teams, two mages to a team. The roc riders once again took to the skies as they would be incharge of guiding the ground troops while they did their scorch the earth thing. Since they were tasked into turning the whole place into a dead zone, the crocs were made to go to all the water sources and force the water molecules to break down, the process that they used was to dump as much acid as they could spare into the water.

The roc riders had a second job to do while in the air, they were do drop fire bombs on the land once the ground crew were done cleansing what they could. It was a good thing that the entire area was in the middle of what once was a big crater, probably made by a meteorite that crash landed there.

"This is base camp calling all units," Tem said over the radio, "I repeat calling all units."

"Roc riders awaiting orders," the leader of the roc riders spoke into his radio.

"Croc corps ready for vaporization," the head diver spoke into his radio.

"Flame belchers ready," the rest of troops announced.

"Operation Bleach is a Go," Tem said over the radio, "I repeat, Operation Bleach is a Go."

They moved with brutal efficiency, taking out anyone and anything that was no longer human, regular plant, or animal in sight. The rice patties that surrounded the village too were torched. When the soldiers finally reached the village itself, they torched the place as best as they could. Then got out of their as fast as they could.

"Roc Riders drop your load," a Noufu ordered, "Drop your load."

Once the fire bombs started falling from the skies, and when they finally hit the ground, the explosions were so strong that even though the sky was clear, people from miles around could see the explosions, the burning and bright blaze was amazingly clear. If people thought that Fire country had the best when it came to fire, well they were wrong, as the Rosuto forces were able to super power some explosives, as well as chakra element powered explosive shells, and a number of other things. All in all the scorching of the earth was a success, the only thing remaining to be done was to salt the earth.

"Mages!" an officer called out, "Have the skies rain salt on the area."

"Hai!" was the response of the mages.

When the earth was salted making sure that no vegetation or any form of life would be able to grow and survive there, the Rosuto forces prepared to move out and head over to the predesignated meeting place. For one final time, the mages did a scan or sweep of the area for the poison as well as any signs of any remaining possible dispersal methods, luckily they found none. Unluckily however they found something that all the life within the crater was camoflauging.

The revelation of what lay beneath the soil caused the Rosuto troops to move quadruple time, they had to get out of there before things got worse. The thing that the mages found was a creature that lived underground and had been infected, but the poison had been neutralized somehow leaving the creature as non-carrier, but instead had been mutated into something else. The poison had melded with whatever the creature was which ended with the thing becoming a giant acidic slime monster.

_To be continued..._


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and any reference to any other thing owned by someone else.

Claimer: The OCs are mine. If any are sue-ish, well…they're still my sues.

Warning #1: Characters may sometimes be OOC. You have been warned.

Reminder: Rosuto Juushu = Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto

**Lost**

**Chapter 25**

_The revelation of what lay beneath the soil caused the Rosuto troops to move quadruple time, they had to get out of there before things got worse. The thing that the mages found was a creature that lived underground and had been infected, but the poison had been neutralized somehow leaving the creature as non-carrier, but instead had been mutated into something else. The poison had melded with whatever the creature was which ended with the thing becoming a giant acidic slime monster._

"Yori, its Tem again, we've got a slimer on our hands!" Tem said, after getting connected back to relative.

"Seriously? You guys have all the fun.." Yori said.

"Sorry to interrupt what was to be your rant, but we need a way to be rid of it," Tem said.

"Sorry, sorry, give me the low down on the situation, has it broken through the ground, come up, and such?"

"Gon, check with the roc riders, has is broken the surface?" Tem told Gon another of his clansmen.

"Roc riders report that the ground beneath the village was actually part of the monster, its rising from its sleep fast," Gon reported after speaking with the head roc rider.

"Yori, its broken through, or it was possibly asleep the whole time, possibly avoiding the infected or something," Tem informed.

"Have the mages hit it with the elements, I need to know what each element's effect is on it," Yori said.

After ordering the mages to unleash some elemental spells on the monster, Tem had made sure that the roc riders and the foot soldiers made sure to observe any and all effects that were produced. Some of the roc riders decided that they would scout around the area, in case something had been missed, possibly the slime monster was hiding the existence of something else.

The first elemental wave sent forth by the mages were whatever earth spell they could think of. The rocks, and mud that were formed and hit the monster were instantly vaporized by the monster's skin, the outer layer of acid that it was made of was just to corosive for the magically created earthen objects.

"Rocs! I want you guys to try something!" Tem said over the radio, "Pick up some boulders and drop 'em on the thing, I wanna know if possibly it was the magic."

It was possibly that the element of earth itself was not at fault, but that the magic that created them was what made them disintegrate the way that they did. After filling their talons with some boulders, the rocs dropped their load on the monster, the rocks were not vaporized instantly, rather it took a few minutes for them to be absorbed by the monster. The monster itself not really paying them much attention, both times. But the soldiers noticed that when the magically created rocks and mud hit, the monster looked like it grew more aware of its surroundings.

"Yori, magic earth results in instant vaporization, while regular rocks take a while for it to digest them," Tem reported.

"What of its energy levels, or its reaction to the things thrown at it?" Yori asked.

"Magic made it more aware, while regular stuff didn't even faze it," Tem said.

"Next element please," Yori said.

"Mages, soak it," Tem ordered the mages, "Roc riders find some water to drench it with, once the mages are done."

The mages powered up their water elemental spells and had torrents of magical water make their way toward the monster. The visible effect of such attacks resulted in the monster growing a little bit bigger, but once all the water had been absorbed by the creature, it grew significantly in size. Some of the soldiers believed that it had absorbed the magically enhanced water, and since it was made of some form of liquid, it had absorbed the magic as well.

After an hour or two, the rocs were finally able to drop their load after having to fly to the coast to gather some water. The water was also absorbed by the monster, but it did not grow as fast, or as much as when the magically cinjured and enhanced water hit it.

"Well?" Yori asked.

"It being liquid assimilated the water, it grew in size both times, but the magic somehow made it grow faster and larger," Tem reported the findings.

"Set it on fire," Yori said, "Magic only."

"Gotcha," Tem said, then ordered the troops what to do via the radios, "Mages fire bomb the thing, rocs just observe."

The mages fired up as much power as they could, fire being the most volatile and hard to control of all the elements, as not only was it impulsive in nature, but should it not be treated right it would incinerate the caster. Such a task that the mages had set their fire magiks on was something that they had never thought that they would have encountered. Once the fire was let loose, when the fires were shot toward the monster, the result was not as they had expected. Instead of being absorbed or consuming the thing in flames, burning it to a crisp, forever to never crawl on the ground for the rest of eternity, instead of the expected results, the monster had been turned to glass, as if it had been made of glass.

"Yori, it turned to glass," Tem reported.

"I expected as much," Yori said, "If you have any shinobi with you, I would have you cut it with wind, as I don't think that magical winds would be sucha good idea."

"So what would you have us do?" Tem asked.

"I would have you drop boulders on the thing and see if it shatters," Yori said.

After the troops were informed of what would be done, the roc rideres immediately got to work. The boulders that they dropped on it, were not vaporized instead they shattered part of the thing. The only thing that was observed aside from the shattering effect that the rocks had on the glassified shell, was that the whole thing had not been turned into glass, inside the glass shell was still acidic slime.

"The shell shattered, but the inards are still slime," Tem reported.

"Fire bomb it, then shatter it with regular rocks," Yori said, "Oh, and have some of the mages try and drain the thing of its life force, if it has one."

The orders were relayed to those that were to be part of the operation. Turning it to glass, and shattering it, while trying to drain it of its lifeforce, worked for awhile, but soon some of the soldiers noticed that the thing started to produce an enraged aura, for some reason. The thing knew what was happening to it. It appeared that it had not been totally awake from the start, but rather it was groggy, it was still in its waking stages which was why it had allowed itself to be hit by the numerous attacks. But now that it was finally fully awake, it was getting angry, and like another green and hulking thing, one would not want to be near it when it was angry.

Some of the soldiers infomed the Noufu clansmen of their observations, but it was a bit too late.

"Riders, cease your attacks!" a Noufu member called out throug the radio, "Evasive manuevers! Don't get hit!"

"But its not doing any..." the particular roc rider was unable to finish his statement as he was vaporized by the swing of one of the monsters many arms, or more like acidic tentacles.

"Mages roast the thing as fast as you can!" Tem shouted over the radio, "Stop those arms!"

The mages quickly did as they were told, not wanting the blood of their comrades to be on their hands should they not be able to halt the attacks of the monster. But the thing was quite fast when it was angry, it weaved its tentacles around like there was no such a thing as air resistance, many of the roc riders were vaporized when hit, some fell from the sky as the roc that they were on lost a wing, or a talon, or some other body part. Body parts were not littering the ground as the monster did not slice of parts, it disintegrated them. Part by part, person by person, roc by roc, the Rosuto forces were froced to try and keep up with the thing.

"Tem, status report!" Yori demanded hearing the screams of the injured and of the dying, as well as the orders being shouted by the soldiers and mages.

"The thing's gone nuts, we can't crash it as fast as it takes our fliers out, its only a matter of time before it decides to come for the rest of us," Tem said.

"Well I guess you can freeze then cut it up with wind now, but you'll be dealing with smaller version of it if you do," Yori said.

"Anything's better than the present situation," Tem said, then relayed some new orders.

The mages were tasked with glassifying the acidid slime monster, while other mages cut the thing up, creating smaller version of the thing. The rocs were ordered to fall back to base camp, those that were still able to fly though, those that weren't were ordered to avoid getting hit by the monster.

By the time that most of the rocs had returned to base camp, the monster had been cut down to size, but in its place were hundred of smaller versions of the original, all with the potential to reach the same size of the original, if they could absorb some materials. But some of the soldiers noticed that the monsters did not absorb the land that they moved on, as it the soil that they were on was immune to their absorption effect.

"Yori, new situation, there are hundreds of the thing now, and they all look to be closing in on base camp fast, some soldiers have also noticed that they can't seem to absorb the ground that they are moving on at present, the boulders were from the sides of the the crater that the village was found in," Tem said.

"I have an idea, but you need all the mages to expend all their mana to do it," Yori said.

"Why now, and not before?" Tem asked.

"It was huge before, now with all the tiny pieces I think I can make it so that the thing is unable to harm any more," Yori said.

"Well, what is it then?" Tem asked a little but impatient but that was acceptable what with his present predicament.

"Have the mages turn the soil beneath the slimers into dust, sand trap the things, have 'em fall into a tube, once they're all in, I want you to have the rocs drop all the napalm that you got into the whole to glassify them all, all lots of other burnable things to keep the fires going, drop boulders in after the flames have taken over, got it?" Yori said.

"Got it!" Tem said.

After all orders were relayed the operation continued, and finally the slimer threat had been ended before it could go beyond the borders of the crater that the village was in.

"Good work troops, this means we can meet up with everyone else," Tem said via radio to all the troops.

They left the place after burying all their dead, and doing all the other things that they had to do before heading out. But before they were able to leave the place someone from the back of the group reported in a sighting. The mages and the remaining roc riders had missed something, it wasn't another slimer thankfully, but it was something.

"Report," Tem said via radio, he was the only officer left after the ordeal after all.

"I saw something move underground, like one a SandFish, not as big, but it moved a few meters away from the flank," the soldier reported, "There it is again! Its fast approaching!"

"Sit tight soldier!" Tem said in response, "Mages see what that thing is!"

After some scanning, the mages found what or who it was that was closing in on the group.

"Prepare yourselves! We're under attack!" Tem said over the radio, which got all the troops to be more alert, the thing that the soldier in the rear of the group saw that whatever the underground thing was had changed direction.

"Sir! There's over a thousand of them, coming in from all directions! That one at the rear was a decoy," one of the mages closest to Tem said.

"Who are they, and where are they?" Tem said.

"They've got us surrounded sir, over a thousand of them, possibly remnants of the defenders from the north," the mage reported, "All shinobi, we could be dealing with a lot of sound attacks here."

"After this message, I want radio silence, total silence, mages silence shields if you please on the whole, group, everyone discreetly form groups, prepare to defend yourselves," Tem said, then shut off his radio, and tucked away his portable mirror communication device.

Just as soon as Tem had shut off his equipment, the attack began, oto-nin were popping out of the woodwork, grasped in their hands were a number of different weapons, varying in shape and size, and sharpness. From hammers and staves, to kunai and katana, there were just so many of them. Their rage could be felt by all the Rosuto forces. These attackers were what was left of the triple wall defenders up in the northern border of Rice Field, whose comrades had lost their lives in battle, in the defense of their homeland. These guys were just lucky enough to come across the dwindled numbers of group three.

Having been feeling the effects of fighting for too long, and working overtime for an extended number of hours, days, and the like, the Rosuto troops were ill prepared for the ferocity of the attacking oto-nins. Half of the remaining ground forces were killed within minutes of the start of the attack.

By the time that Tem noticed this he gethered some of the warriors closest to him, those that were still able to fight.

"They've already wiped out half of us, we need to eradicate them, fast, ideas?" Tem asked, the mage that was with them was doing all in his power to buy the group some time.

"Any of you from Tenshi?" Tem asked, he being from Sekihin.

"All of us are, why?" one of them asked.

"Good, attack with everything you've got, leave not a single oto-nin alive," Tem said.

"Seriously? We get to go all out?" one of the soldiers asked, they had been holding back, their power, the power that flowed in their veins, since after using it, they didn't think that they could control themselves.

"Yes, just make sure that no friendlies are harmed, once all the Oto-nins have been silenced, I want you lot to simply regroup and await orders, find an Ichida if you can, understood?" Tem asked.

"Hai," the soldiers said.

"Drop the barriers mage, and slaughter, do as your ancestors in Tetsu did in the past!" Tem shouted as he drew a pair of kama, and entered the battle killing Oto-nin after oto-nin, one another the Oto-nins began to see that they were outmatched.

Tradition, training, and the like had caused a regional Kekkai Genkai to form in the blood of the children of the former separate nations of Rosuto no Kuni. All the warriors kept some traits of those that used to rule the lands that make up Rosuto no Kuni. Like the Tenshi, who were the beautiful people, but had a love for battle like no other, their blood allowed them to become berserkers, they became stronger, while at the same time gained an advanced healing factor.

The Tetsu mage unleashed far more destructive spells than any of the group had ever seen in their lifetimes, it truly had blossomed into war if a normally peaceful mage could turn into a cold hearted and bloodthirsty killer. The Oto-nin and their jutsu stood no chance, against the blood of those that had fought in war for a thousand years, resting for a thousand more, but finally being unleashed on the world once again.

"Doton: Doryuudan!" multiple oto-nin called out as they slammed their palms on the ground which caused the soil to turn to mud, and turn into earth dragons, the bodies of lung dragons formed, and from their mouths numerous mud balls were shot out at high speed heading straight for a number of Rosuto troops.

Thinking that that was that, the oto-nins were unable to see the mudballs and the dragons were cut to ribbons by the whip weielding scions of the former Sakura no Kuni. The whips were coated with wind element chakra, and not only sliced through the projectiles and the dragons, but the wind blades went on to detach the heads of the shinobi from their bodies.

Dancing through the sea of shinobi the warriors of Rosuto moved with the grace of death gods, weaving in and out of harms way, dealing death blows left, right, and center, none of them caring at all about what happened to their bodies in the process for they all knew that by how they were fighting they would survive, and that was all that mattered.

After roughly five hundred of the oto-nin had perished in what they thought would be an easy battle one of the few chuunin in the group radio'd for some reinforcements, apparently the one thousand weren't the only ones in the area. Two thousand more arrived to deal some death on the invaders. It may have been such a small group of them left, even the aerial troops had suffered some loses, but not as bad as the ground forces.

The Rosuto forces were down to two hundred something troops all in all, from more than five thousand, that was all that remained. While the oto-nins just kept on coming, the final two hundred unleashed all their pent up thirst for blood, and no matter how many reinforcements arrived to aid the oto-nins, it did not matter. The Rosuto warriors cut through them like hot knives through butter.

The shinobi had stopped using their ninjutsu and genjutsu after a few hours of losing a hundred of their number against the Rosuto warriors, taijutsu was their only hope of surviving the awakened dragons that they had unleashed upon themselves.

Noufu Tem had lost his kama after the seven hundreth kill, he was busy dispatching his foes simply with his hands that acted as blades themselves, slicing through the bodies of the damned oto-nins, occassionally he would use some smoke bombs, mini firebombs, exploding tags, and the like. He and his Tenshi friends moved as a single unit, as a single entity, as if all their consciousnesses were one, all of their movements were in tandem. The enemies just kept coming, but Tem and his group just kept slaughtering.

Normally Tem would find himself directing the actions of the rest of the group, rarely ever having to join the fray himself, but like most of the Rosuto citizens he had some training in self defense. Training that for most of the rest of the world would be considered as formal training. Theirs was a people with a long history of fighting, and although they were a peaceful people in the last thousand years, that did not mean that they would deny their heritages to continue, if only with minimal influence to their lives.

Tem who had been using twin kama, had resorted to his hands and his feet to do the damage dealing for him, using his knowledge of human psychology and physiology to his advantage. The Noufu clan was the Human Resouce and Development department, they were the clan incharge of dealing with everything that had to do with that department, a number of these things included psychology, physiology, and sociology. They knew how the mind ticked, the mind worked, how the body worked, and all that as it was part of what they needed to know to better understand and deal with people. Tem used his extensive knowledge to take down his foes. Though he was unable to verbally deal with them, based on what he was seeing he used it to his advantage. Due to his knowledge of how the body worked he could more or less predict how his enemies would move, what action they would take seconds before their bodies were to take action. By using some subtle sign language he was able to communicate with his Tenshi companions, the mage not really needing to be told what to do as he blasted the Oto-nins with destructive spell after destructive spell.

The battle lasted for a number of days, the warriors of the battle knew not how many foes they had fought, or how long they were fighting without rest, food, or water, all they were sure of was that they had been fighting, non-stop for days, and finally their fighting constatly was over.

In truth they had somehow battled, and survived a literal slaughter of more than ten thousand Oto-nins. Otogakure may have been scattered all over the country, but that did not mean that there were few of them, they were in fact one of the few hidden villages with such a high shinobi count, since Orochimaru had many technologies at his disposal, one of them was a cloning facilitiy which he used to acquire such a vast army. Ten thousand genin, which chuunin abilities, was only one third of what he had originally had, but due to the efforts of the invading army, the number of genin and chuunin had drastically declined, Orochimaru would have to mass clone a few thousand or more shinobi to serve his purposes, the first being immortality and the second being world domination.

From the hundred of Rosuto warriors that were members of group three, only fifty remained, it was reminiscent of the time that Juushu spent adventuring before his formal training had begun under that pizza and popcorn loving sensei of his.

Among those that had survived the battle were Tem, his five Tenshi companions, and that one Tetsu mage. Out of all the survivors they were the ones that had dealt the most damage to the enemy forces, they were the ones that had taken the most number of lives, sent the most number of souls to the Crossworld. The afterlife was ten thousand souls fuller than before the battle took place thanks to that small group.

"I..g-guess..we..can..rest..now.." Tem said between breaths, the fatigue and stress of the fight finally catching up to him, he grew more tired as the seconds ticked by, but he had strength enough to make sure that all fifty of them were together for whatever was to come.

"H-hai, t-taichou," one of the survivors said, saluted, then promptly fainted from extreme exhaustion.

Group four had found themselves just outside one of the most well protected bases out of all the information that the initial scouts had gathered about all nine bases within Rice Field. This fourth one being one of the most well protected, it was one of two cloning facilities, and it was swarming with guards. There were simply too many of them, even with a force of three thousand, the Rosuto forces didn't think that they could take on and win against a force that could multiply itself within minutes after losing just one combatant. The Rosuto forces estimated that for every one Oto-nin or Rice Field soldier killed, another hundred would take its place. That was simply how fast, and how many machines the facility had at its disposal. The power plant that gave the base its power was also well protected and within the base itself, which gave the Rosuto forces another disadvantage as they would be unable to stalk their prey in the dark as they had wished. They could do only so much.

Being in desperate need of intelligence, and some advice on how to proceed, the communications officer, a Noufu clansman, contacted the Southern Konoha Invasion front.

"Noufu Ida, calling Southern front, Kira-oji-sama do you copy?" Ida said through the communication mirror.

"Noufu Kira here, I hear you loud and clear, what's the problem Ida-kun," Kira responded after a few minutes.

"We're at Base Four, its completely surrounded in security personel, its also got enough equipment and supplies to survuve against an attack from us, even should we unleash our heritages," Ida informed.

"Blow it up," Kira simply said.

"What do you mean blow it up?" Ida asked.

"Bring the whole facility to the ground," Kira said.

"How?" Ida asked.

"You've got mages, have them drop the who facility into a chasm in the ground, send them to the magma rivers of hell," Kira simply said, "Then snipe any that tries to escape."

"Understood," Ida said, then cut transmission.

Ida then relayed the instructions to the officers of the group. The task was split between the many roc riders in the group, they would act as aerial bombers of firery death. The mages were tasked with thinking up and using a single unified spell that would bring the whole facility falling into the burning pits of hell, or in other words down into the ground where the mantle met with the crust. The regular soldiers were all told to either prepare to rush the enemy, or to ready their bows and arrows in preparation for some sniper action against the Rice Field troops. Not a single one of their enemy was to survive.

But unknown to the preparing Rosuto force, their prey had found a way to spy on them, after realizing that they were surrounded on all sides by an army of Rosuto warriors, the Rice Field intelligence agency had found a way to use the vibrations in the earth to spy on Group four. After they figured out the plan of action that the Rosuto force was to take, the defenders launched a pre-emptive strike against the Rosuto force.

Unprepared for the surprise attack, one thousand Rosuto warriors lost their life during the first wave that was sent against them. That is exactly one third of the force that Group four originally had, or started out with. They had for some reason underestimated the abilities of their enemy, and had paid such a high price for such mediocre thinking. The Rosuto force did not need to wait for the second wave to take out another thousand, or a third wave to take out the entire group. The officers ordered the all remaining forces to continue as planned.

The mages made the ground shake, which caused the foundations and all the things that were keeping the base standing to tople and fall, they were also able to cause the ground below the entire facility to become brittle, which then cracked under the combined weight of the defenders and their base of operation and cloning facility. The Oto-nins that knew some Doton jutsu were able to defend and protect some parts of the base, which allowed their forces to launch some attacks on the attacking forces of Rosuto no Kuni.

The minor attacks were met with much resistance. The defenders had successully lost their cloning facility, what they were able to salvage, would help them survive, as they found out that the mages had expended far too much magic to try and sink the base a second time. The invaders did not attempt to storm the base, knowing that it would be suicide for them to do so. It was no a battle of attrition. Unluckily for the Rosuto forces, the defenders had called in some reinforcements from another base, one that had yet to meet with any of the other groups of Rosuto warriors. Group four was trapped between the base that they could not storm or totally destroy in one move, and the incoming reinforcements of the defenders that were sure to batter at them until they were all crushed.

Orochimaru really knew what he was doing when he prepared himself for war aginst the one country that he hated more than anything. His shinobi forces were more than enough to take out the entirety of Konoha, it was like Iwa, but on a much smaller scale, but just as deadly. The man really knew what it would take to take the world by storm, too bad he had to deal with a super power in the world, Rosuto no Kuni. A nation that knew not what defeat meant, simply victory, but the path was still a very dangerous and long one. Orochimaru had made sure of that.

While Group four was busily defending while at the same time attacking, Group five was making their way to the meeting place, they had had one of the easiest times demoloshing the base that they were assigned to, it was a prison facility, which had one kind of prisoner in it: the unstable kind. The soldiers had no trouble sealing the violent tendencies of the master of the place, the one that had the most power or control over all the other unstable experiments, some of which were disposed off due to their being too much of a danger to both themselves and to anyone else around them. The rest of the unstable prisoners, as well as the first of their kind, were allowed to join the Rosuto army, in short they were conscripted into the business, they were also promised more a way to more control their powers, power that were granted in part to them by Orochimaru through experimentation.

While group five was nearing the halfway point of their journey to the meeting place, they somehow intercepted a distress call from the fourth base, the base and cloning facility was requesting aid from the other bases due to their being under seige as well as having lost their most valuable facility. The officers of Group five decided that it would be a great way to test the resolve and loyalty of their new recruits, as well as their duty to help out their comrades whom they were sure were the ones behind the seige, fellow Rosuto forces that were trapped between the fourth base and the incoming reinforcements of the Rice Field defenders.

While heading in the direction of base number four, Group five encountered the reinforcements that the defenders requested from the other bases. There were quite a lot of them, but Group five was able to use surprise to their advantage and ambushed the Rice Field reinforcements. They blitzed the defenders, rushing in and out of the group of soldiers and shinobi, taking as many as they could, while making sure that no one of the invasion's side lost their life. The ambushes that the group orchestrated were able to take out sizeable amouts of defenders at a time, it was enough that the force that would reach the fourth base would be inefficient in completing their original objective which was to reinforce the defense of the base, as well as aid in wiping out the invaders that had formed a ring around the base.

Once the base was in viewing distance, group five made their presence known to their compariots by contacting them through radio instead of through mirrors. It was a slightly happy Noufu member that greeted them, and informed them of where they should position themselves, as well as where to send the mages to for a final strike against the defenders. The mages having gained back their power after the days upon days of surviving through the conflict.

Once the mages were all in position, the officers incharge of the demolition operation gave the signal, and in one giant ball of hellfire, the base and all the defenders within were wiped out off of the face of the world, not even the ones that had prepard some reinforced underground bunkers had survived the blast, it was simply to hot, and the hit arrived simply too fast. The mages fueled their fire with rage, rage and revenge filled thoughts brought about by remembering their comrades that had died in previous sorties and battles. The mages knew that emotions could help strengthen their magics, therefore had used their anger and sorrow to their advantage.

With the total destruction of the fourth base within the boundaries and lands of the Land of Rice Fields, Groups four and five were able to make their way to the meeting place where all the groups would meet up. Along the way they intercepted some late arrivals that had planned on reinforcing the fourth base, but were as luck would have it far too late to do anything of consequence, even their pathetic deaths were meaningless.

While groups four and five were doing their best in destroying the bases assigned to them, Group six had made its way to an underground base that was mostly empty save for some rebel factions within the country, factions that opposed the rule of the hebi sennin, they had wiped out the former occupyers of the base, and had established it as one of their bases of operations. When a diplomatic unit was sent out to speak with them about a potential alliance between Rosuto and their forces, the displomatic group was pleased to have died in the defense of the Rosuto Royal Family's honor and name. The rebel faction did not see any benefit in joining up with the invaders, and went so far as to insult Juushu's family with a lot of words. Once the words were delivered the diplomatic unit consisting of five men and one woman, had simply attacked them. The rebel factions were able to subdue and execute them, but the woman, who was a Noufu member, was able to get the word out to the rest of the group that the rebels were more selfish than Orochimaru himself, they believed that they could win against all odds, and had made it a point as to state that the rest of Rice Field would not stand for having to put up with another foreign set of rulers.

Apparently they did not think about the consequences of their actions, since that statement meant that most of the rest of the civilian populace would have to be wiped out to secure the safety of all the rest of the people as well as the safety of the Rosuto forces.

With the message received Group six relayed the information that had been gathered to the commanding group of the Rice Field invasion. The response that they were given was to route out all of the rebel factions, and decimate them. Following the initial mission specifics, the response from command was still the same, gather valuables from the bases, and then eliminate everything else. They had found a den of rebels, and now they were tasked with clean up, best remove all the filth while it was still early than to wait for the shit to hit the fan when the invasion force was too far to be of much use.

"We are to split up into thirteen more groups, as that is the number of factions that were present in the former base of the country's operations," one of Group six's officers stated, "Each group will be incharge of eradicating one rebel factions, completely and totally wiped out, not a single member is to escape alive, men, women, and even the children, are not to be allowed to go on living."

"We are to send them to the Crossworlds as fast as possible," a mage officer stated.

"The orders have been passed on to the officers assigned to each group, so pack up, and move out!" the main officer of the whole group announced.

The first rebel faction that had been found had set up their base in a mountain, not on a mountain top, but inside a mountin in the country, their base of operations were found in caves inside a mountain, near the sixth base of operations, the one where they had all met in. At the very foot of the mountain was a small village, one where the Rosuto forces were sure that their families stayed in, and where members of the faction could easily sometimes be seen in.

They let loose the wolves of war once nightfall covered the land, specifically the village and the mountain. The direwolves made quick work of all the rebels in and around the village, while the soldiers themselves entered the many caves and wiped out all the rebels inside and on the mountain. By morning the mountain and the village below it were crying tears of blood. There was just so much of it, all life in the place had been snuffed out, even the animals had lost their lives, all were added to the multiple Crossworlds.

The other factions had shared a similar fate, their bases of operations, as well as their families were wiped out completely, it really was their fault for not thinking ahead, for not thinking of the future. The only rebels in the country remaining were those staying in the Sixth Base, the one that the rest of Group Six were still surrounding. When word had reached the remaining rebel faction forces, they were incensed at the slaughter of the innocent, or those that they had deemed innocent. How could anyone condone the slaughter of children as the Rosuto forces had done. They no longer cared, they continued their rebellious activities, by sneaking out after dark around the invader's encampments. They thought that they had outsmarted the invading force.

But in truth they were the ones being tricked into believing that their cause was a good one, and the way they went about doing things was the way things must go. They believed in their superiority due to the fact that they were still surviving even though many of their number had already fallen. They were overconfident, they knew not that they were the coup d' grace, the climax of the purge. They seemed to show no care for their noncombatant family and friends, therefore the Rosuto forces devised a way to have the rebellious civilians meet up with their rebel familly members meet up for one final time.

The Rosuto forces had their mage corps completely hide their presence from the rebels, which made it possibly for them to come out of their hiding place unprepared for an ambush. There were a few chakra users in the group, which had informed the rest that the only people in the field above the base, outside of the entrance of the base were infact their family members. These so called innocents had been brainwashed into believing that they had to meet up with their loved ones, thinking that they simply had to. They were made to believe that there was a threat that was going to wipe out all the rebels in one fell swoop leaving them alive, to mourn their loss, and be forced to live a life of shame thinking that they had done nothing to aid in the liberation of their country from the rule of a tyrant, and from invaders from an unknown land.

When the rebels left the safety of their underground base to meet with their family members, the Rosuto forces, some of them anyway, under the power of illusions snuck their way into the base, and positioned themselves in such a way that once the signal was given they would be able to cut the rebel factions to pieces from the inside moving out. Not all the rebels had gone out, only those that still had loved ones still left alive, these were the ones that would die within the caves that they had turned into their central base of operations.

It had been made a point that the rebel leaders' families were left unharmed, and word had been spread that they had been able to escape due to the aid of their fellow rebels. The truth of the matter was that they had been caputred and been brainwashed into believing such lies. Once all the rebel leaders, and everyone else that still had family had left the safety of their underground base, the Rosuto forces still invisible to the naked eye surrounded the rebels, there were few enough that one invader could take care of five rebels.

The officer incharge of the operation revealed himself to the rebels, appearing as if he had no weapons on his person, which was true as he did not carry even a knife to defend himself with.

"Thank you for coming to this reunion," the officer stated to the shock of the rebels that had no idea that he was there, as well as to the surprise and bewilderment of the ex-Oto-nins of the group.

"What are you doing here invader scum!?" one of the rebels shouted out.

"I'm here to send all of you to hell," the officer said.

"What can one man do against us?" one of the rebel leaders shouted.

"Plenty," the officer said, "Now say your farewells, lest you regret not doing so in the future."

Instead of listening to the officer some of the rebels took out their weapons and prepared to attack the visible officer. But once one of the rebels moved, chaos somewhat occurred, the family member of the rebel family began dying one by one, for every step that the rebels had made towards the officer, whom they assumed was doing the killing using some invisible jutsu, the killing grew in intensity. By the time that the first rebel had reached the officer, lives began waning every second, and the field was stained crimson at the number of people that were being killed. By the time that a rebel had dared to thrust his sword into the officer, that rebel was dead, speared through the chest by an invisible lancer beside the officer.

"That's that," the officer of Group six announced after the last rebel had been killed in the operation, "Time to join up with the other groups at the meeting point."

"Hai!" his subordinated responded, and they began to move out already having packed up all of their things.

When Group six started to make their move on the rebel factions, Group seven started to make their way to the meeting point, as the base that they had been assigned to had gone under self destruction after the first soldier had stepped foot inside the facility. Apparently the forces that had been camped within the seventh base were the reinforcements for the fourth base, and had left their base of operations with all their defenses and securities up and running to their full capacity recognizing the fact that it was possible that they would not be getting back to their beloved base of operations.

Groups eight and nine had not found any resistance from the bases that were assigned to them, and allowed them to go to the meeting place ahead of schedule. It also allowed them to infiltrate the village-city, to spy on the place, and find any and all that would need to be saved in case the place was pro-Orochimaru. The priorities had changed, instead of leaving it alone incase it was neutral, it was deemed as a threat due to the reports about the rebel factions. They must have been getting funding and support from somewhere, and it sure as hell wasn't the capital of the Land of Rice Fields.

The infiltrators were able to find out that the noble families of the village-city were the ones that had encounraged the formation of the rebel factions, finding that they could each be a more suitable leader as compared to their present leader which was Orochimaru. These nobles were similar to the Hyuuga and the Uchiha of Konoha, both of whom wished to rule instead of the leaders that they had sworn to serve under.

When all the groups had converged at the meeting place, there were only half of the original number that had started out to take out the nine bases of operations within the country. But due to the recruits that were picked up along the way, the Rosuto force was enough to take out an entire poorly defended hidden village. Sure it had shinobi, but the Rosuto forces had been able to deal with those before, sure it had the numbers on their side, but the Rosuto force had mages to even the odds.

Some of the invaders were made to wear disguises to allow them to infiltrate the village en-masse. Once inside they would make their way around the place positioning themselves around the inner side of the massive wall that defended the village. When they were all in they would each radio in that they were in position and wait for the signal to commence the actual operation.

Some of the other soldiers were made to travel through the sewers, without the aid of their daimyou, they were unable to pin point the locations of the people that were deemed salvageable, but they would be doing something else instead. They had somehow procured the schematics of the hidden village, as well as a list of addresses of the people that would be saved from the massacre that would occurr overnight. The ones travelling through the sewers would be laying all the transport seals beneath the areas that held these people, those others that were sucked in by the technique would just be considered as lucky, and the Shokon members in the shadows over where Mikio was would deal with any unwated people that accidentally were transported.

Other soldiers were deployed and ordered to make their way a few meters away from outside of the hidden village, their task was to jump right into the hidden village, and kill as many people as they possibly could in the shortest amount of time, not literally jump in, as the wall would come tumbling down by the time they made their move. The rest of the soldiers were ordered to wait some meters beyond the gates into the vilage.

The mages were told to keep watch over the village, literally over, they rode on the rocs and kept literal watch over the village. They would also provide aerial support for the ground forces, and would be the ones in charge of causing fire to rain down from the heavens, which would then cause the hidden village to run gold with fire.

The shinobi recruits as well as the experimented people that were recruited were also given a task, one that would make great use of their speed. They were tasked with getting out all the information, knowledge, and whatnot that the hidden village held, with it was anything that would be of value to Orochimaru that they could find. They were also tasked with rescuing any and all Rosuto forces that were trapped within the flames. A risky business, but somebody had to do it.

The Rosuto forces hadn't expected one of their Commanders to be present for the operation. But Tokage Yoshiko had made it a point to be where she needed to be, with her troops. It was quite a boost of morale when she arrived on a horse of all things, clad in full body armor, the kind that allowed her to move as gracefully as any kunoichi. She had been hardened by battles during her youth, but at the same time, she knew how to play her part well, during war.

She insisted on being the one to signal for the start of the destruction of the last remaining threat to the invasion force, Orochimaru not being quite that much of a threat, as he had been wearing himself out in the south, on the border between Rice Field and Fire. Somehow the Rosuto officers had managed to convince the nobles of the hidden village to meet with one of their officers in private, and speak about possibly a possible truce, something that they were sure the current leader of Rice Field would not have thought of, not that the man ever really thought of the good of the people, his people.

Yoshiko had been escorted into a private meeting room where all the heads of the noble families of Rice Field, all the heads of the nobility of the country, and not just of the hidden village. Negotiations began in earnest, all of the heads trying their damnedest to milk the negotiations for all it was worth. They were protected from the outside by several seals, held by their ANBU defenders within the room, they were also defended by a sound barrier that allowed no sound to get in or out of the room. Therefore these heads of clans were unaware that as soon as the doors to the room were locked, the inading force began their operation. The closing of the doors by none other than Yoshiko herself was the signal to begin the attack, and promised massacre of Otogakure no Sato, the Hidden Village in the Sound.

As the walls of the hidden village came tumbling down, the transportation seals were activated, and the shinobi and regular soldiers began tumbling into the village, the shinobi running in and out with as much information and materials and supplies as they could seal and thus carry, while the soldiers went about killing any and all that were not one of them.

There were a number of archers mounted on the rocs above the hidden village that had taken a liking to sniping the citizens from such a great height, they were aided by the mages with them. The mages allowing them to have the sight of a bird of prey, and they also helped by having the winds not become obstacles of the arrows flight path wise.

Men, women, and children, shinobi, and regular soldiers alike, all of them were no match for the Rosuto forces that stormed through what was left of the gates. The people that had decided to use the underground escape routes were also no match for the soldiers and some shinobi that had decided to wait in the escape tunnels underneath the hidden village in case the people would do as they did, which was to escape the attack. But unfortunately they would be allowed to escape, just not with their lives intact, their bodies, lifeless bodies that is, would be allowed to escape due to the flushing of the sewers and the undergrond tunnels that had been planned to be done in order to make sure that no one really escaped with their lives.

When the invading soldiers could no longer take the strain of attacking constantly, the officers gave the order to withdraw, which also coincided with Yoshiko's decision to leave the hidden village, the room which help the negotiation for the truce treaty having been painted crimson with the blood of the other participants and their guards. She left the hidden village via teleportation seal, and ended up back in the camp that her mother was still resting in.

Once she arrived there, she had one of the communications people, contact the officer incharge of the running of the actual operation, informing him of her safe escape, and that they could proceed with fire bombing the hidden village, and turning it into a black spot on the world's surface.

It was a week after the hidden village had been decimated that the Rosuto Rice Field Invasion force had finally reached the border between Rice Field and Fire. Tsukiko was back to full health, as was her daughter, and the only remaining problem was Orochimaru, and his remaining jounin and up forces. But they decided to allow him to battle with the Fire defenders for a bit longer, to allow the invaders some much needed rest. Such actions gave Orochimaru the impression that the Rosuto commanders thought of his performance as acceptable, and that he would be able to temporarily ally his self with them, which would also allow him to gain some of their secrets.

"He thinks that just because we are not attacking him as well that he has gained our respect," Tsukiko said.

"Well, at least it makes him think that we will not be attacking him any time soon," Yoshiko said.

"But we will have to speak with him sometime," Tsukiko said.

"Will we be killing him then?" Yoshiko asked.

"Certainly," Tsukiko answered, "He has committed enough crimes to warrant such a death, a death by our hands."

"That and Otou-sama really does dislike him," Yoshiko said, then asked, "But what of the Uchiha?"

"I kill the hebi sennin, while you take care of that insect," Tsukiko said, not a bit of her liked the Uchiha all that much, "I want him to be but a stain on the ground."

"If you say so, Okaa-sama."


End file.
